Vessel of the Gods
by FridayFrige
Summary: A time paradox occurs when Lenneth is sent to the past by the three mages and becomes trapped within a half-elf vessel. Alicia sets out to save Rufus and Valkyrie, but with the Dragon Orb captured, Midgard nears its destruction with each passing day.
1. Multiplexed Contradiction

**Title:** Vessel of the Gods  
**Author: **FridayFrige  
**Rating:** "M" for mature content. Themes of torture and sexual situations will appear in later chapters.  
**Pairing: **LezardxLenneth, RufusxAlicia, and some others that result from body-sharing.  
**Synopsis:** Lenneth's trip into the Dipan of the past crosses over the fates of Alicia and her companions. AU... but VP2 itself is really an AU itself, isn't it?

* * *

Her mission was to cut the chains which bound King Barbarossa to the forsaken land of Dipan. Only then could his soul be returned to the cycle of rebirth, and the ancient kingdom of Dipan be purified before the undead there infectedthe rest of Midgard. This was a task most serious.

He had mistaken her for the monster which destroyed the kingdom, and she believed that to be the source of his lingering hatred. All that she had to do was solve the mystery of its real identity, a simple enough task for a Valkyrie. However, when she entered the palace and found the long-forgotten time machine, things became ever more complicated.

It was an enormous beast waiting in the darkness of the castle's lowest levels, still very much alive. She felt a sense of foreboding simply looking up through its winding components.

Voices.

_**What is it?** I realized something interesting. **Something interesting? **If we can do it right, we can send that loathsome dog beyond the reaches of time! **I see. As usual, your methods are sublime.** _

As the evil laughter pealed through the chamber, Valkyrie realized that the contraption was still alive. A magical lattice appeared below her feet before she had the time to react.

_You are even stupider than I thought, woman. So, after all, that's all you can do. If I can control the flow of time, defeating the Aesir will be child's play. **That's exactly right. Those creatures are not yet advanced enough to be able to participate in the Divine Providence.**_

Those malevolent voices were far away as she was thrown backwards through time. She felt as if her soul were being siphoned from her body.

When she was able to see again, she knew that she was in the same place, and yet a different time. The halls of the castle were no longer ancient, though they were very much crumbling. The kingdom was in the process of being destroyed. This was the Dipan of the past.

She went out into the court where a crowd of humans had gathered, filling the area she had last seen abandoned by all life except for the undead. They gathered around a guillotine--King Barbarossa strapped firmly into it. The executioner was the presence with the most importance--a woman in black armor and a winged helm like her own, Hrist Valkyrie. At second glance, another stood out. By her side, there was Arngrim--her own Einherjar. Inside her spirit, she felt Arngrim stir as if suffering from a nightmare, but he remained unconscious to the happenings outside.

Valkyrie--Lenneth Valkyrie, that was--possessed the incredibly useful ability to remain objective despite whatever sort of insanity might break around her. Without stopping to ponder and be to noticed by that other valkyrie, she retreated back into the castle. Back in the chamber of the time machine, the lattice had faded away. The device would not function.

"Perhaps the rift in time is too great," she wondered aloud. If she could return it to its regular state, then perhaps everything would fall into place. She had to address the issue of King Barbarossa in order to complete her mission as well as to return to her own time.

- - -

She stepped back into the castle and began search though she knew not what for. She could hear some commotion from outside in the courtyard. Hrist's voice bellowed even as she ran through the chambers of the palace.

"Look while you still can and witness! Witness the end of your king who betrayed the gods, and defiled the providence of nature!"

Then, a gasp ran through the crowd. Lenneth glanced through a window to see if the King had been executed, but what she saw surprised her even more. A young woman followed by a group of warriors challenged the valkyrie. She took no time to wonder on this, and simply thanked good fortune for the extension on the King's life. If she could save him, at least save his soul if not his life, and alter the gap in history...

- - -

She followed the soldiers who were bustling about. They paid her no mind, mistaking her in her masked form to be nothing more than a lost commoner. Their enemies today were the gods.

Supposing that something important must be hidden in this area guarded so well, she searched the rooms. She discovered a chamber of books, some related to the science of the machine in the lower levels of the castle. As she sought after any piece of information that may help her, she discovered a switch.

It opened a well-hidden trap door which led into a secret room. There was a regally dressed woman inside. She was in tears and looked up at Lenneth in distress. "How did you get here?" she asked.

"To this hidden room?" Lenneth answered in question. There was little time to discuss it.

"I am Malabeth," she replied. "Wife to Barbarossa, king of this land." Lenneth listened as she went on. "The King was deceived. He listened to the sharp tongues of his three mages and by the time he realized it, there was no going back. The gods became angry that a human would strive for eternity."

Thus the presence of Hrist was vindicated, she thought. Still, it seemed quite a lofty punishment to destroy an entire kingdom for a single human's digression--king or no.

"Please, take this crown to the king," Malabeth told her, holding out a golden circlet. "He always wanted to be King up to the very end..."

Lenneth wondered if this was due to vanity or nobility, but nonetheless recognized it as her chance to free the king's soul.

"I do not know exactly who you are," Malabeth went on, "but you are a woman like me, and so it is with a pained heart that I make this request of you."

"I am not so much a woman as you are," Lenneth replied, taking the crown. No, her heart was cold and unmovable. Still, this last request was to her benefit as well. "Consider it done."

- - -

Silmeria remained in the back of Alicia's mind as she followed Rufus, who led their group into the castle. It had been demolished, it's marble pillars lying in ruin and its windows shattered. Dylan walked beside her and Lezard behind, as usual. Each was on edge in anticipation of Hrist's attack, which was promised to come at sunset. The sun was already dropping out of sight.

Alicia had just witnessed the beheading of her father. Silmeria had been helpless to prevent it, and powerless to console her. This was a grief that Alicia was forced to face alone. Silmeria was impressed and filled with pride to see how she walked on her own with the burden after only a moment taken to cry. Any normal girl would give up at this point; and yet Alicia, who had been so afraid, was moving forward. She felt a dark, twisting emotion brewing in the back of Alicia's mind like bile. Revenge? It made saddened her even more to think of Alicia;s innocent heart being corrupted by such a feeling, but she could not allow herself to show it. She could not even allow herself to feel it, lest Alicia feel it as well.

"Okay, so, basically..." Rufus began, stopping and placing his hands on his hips. Silmeria watched and knew that he, too, was feeling hopeless and anxious for battle. Rufus had as much or more at stake in this battle as Alicia, but there was more to it than simply that. Rufus as well as Dylan were undoubtedly itching to pay Hrist back for hurting Alicia in this manner. "In order to save Midgard, we need to defeat _Odin_?" He summed this up in his typical offbeat way, but his posture made it obvious that he was fumbling for any last hope that they might have.

"No," Dylan replied. "Restoring the dragon orb to Midgard will avert the crisis at hand."

"However," Lezard added. "If Odin himself is guarding it..."

Of all of the people in their party, Lezard's intentions were the most obscure. An honest concerned citizen of Midgard? Silmeria doubted this, and yet she had no reason to believe that he was not on their side. She hoped that like Rufus, he had an ulterior motive which relied on their success rather than threatened it.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Dylan replied. There was a tension between all four of them as they spoke in turn.

Rufus turned and lifted his hands up in frustration. "Do you know what you're saying?" he asked. "That would be like us starting Ragnarok, and _winning_." Silmeria heard the anger in his tone that he was making great effort to conceal as he sounded out each syllable, and knew that he would be unreliable with his high-strung emotions. Regardless of that, he did have a very good point. "Aren't we getting a little carried away?"

She saw how he was once again standing away from the others, as if remaining detachable was a second nature for him. He would joke, but open himself to no one, not even Alicia who had attempted to reach out to him. What was the alternative he was considering, Silmeria wondered? To give up? After such brave words as he had promised Alicia back in the Palace of the Venerated Dragon?

"Rufus," Lezard interjected. "We can't have you losing heart on us." As he continued to speak softly and encouragingly, Silmeria's awareness sparked and she knew that Alicia must now be aware of her uneasiness. "You are the soul person in this world with any hope of rivaling Odin."

Silmeria quickly pulled Alicia to the back of her mind and took over.

Lezard went on. "One could say that you possess a greater potential to oppose Odin than even Lady Silmeria." After saying this he glanced at her, as if expecting her to be there. Silmeria returned his look with an unreadable one as she allowed him to continue. This man knew too much.

"I see," Dylan replied. "Odin's knowledge can be assimilated into Rufus." Silmeria resisted the urge to heave a deep breath and slap her palm into her face in response to this. Dylan was insightful, but had no sense of tact.

"You think I'm just some brainless vessel of the gods?!" Rufus yelled hoarsely at Dylan and Lezard. Silmeria stood and waited for this to be over, resting one hand on her hip impatiently. She had seen it coming, and was partially thankful that Rufus lost his cool now, and not in the battle ahead of them.

"No, I have respect for you!" Lezard replied, holding his hands up defensively. The words sounded trite in Silmeria's ears, but they defused Rufus's anger. "You may be mankind's only hope now. Not as a vessel, but as a true god."

Rufus's posture slacked, his eyes widened a bit, and Silmeria realized just how much this had never occurred to him. What an innocent boy he was, regardless of his age, never once giving thought to the prospect of attaining that power. He wanted only to be normal, and nothing more. Silmeria knew the feeling. It was what permeated Alicia's desires. She could almost see the thought filling Rufus's mind like an infection--the concept of absolute power. She could see the taint of that lust for power seep into his pure heart as clearly as Alicia's thirst for revenge.

She felt this the time to speak. "I understand what you're saying," she said. "But until Rufus acquires the courage, skills, and strength, it's all speculation." She saw how these words made Rufus prickle up and was glad. He should want to prove her wrong. Someday he would have that strength, and fight alongside Alicia as a guardian of the orb--quite possibly as a god. That is why she had picked him up and planted him in her garden, to watch him grow up and bloom along with her other flowers--each little more than a possibility.

But, the garden was no good with a snake hiding within. She glanced one last time to Lezard and then turned. She knew without having to look back that Rufus was following right behind her.

_Rufus, a god? _Alicia's meek voice said in her mind. Silmeria could sense the hope and admiration in her thoughts, coupled by a sense of sympathy and worry. She did not answer, since she would have to do so aloud. Alicia had learned to take this as a silent conformation. _But then won't Rufus be stuck this way forever...? Like us?_

Silmeria started to switch places with Alicia so that she could be the one speaking without being heard, but stopped as the doors at the opposite end of the chamber flew open. A set of guards carried out a casket. Though Silmeria began to resist, she could not keep Alicia from running to it as they set it down.

"Who?" Alicia asked. Rufus, Dylan, and Lezard stood close by.

"Queen Malabeth," the guard said, "has taken her own life."

They watched as Alicia fell to her knees beside the casket and began to cry. "Mother!" she whimpered. Silmeria had to hold back her emotions once again. Even she had believed that maybe Alicia would be able to reunite with her mother, the parent who had objected to their parting but held no power to stop it--the one who would welcome her home with open arms, goddess or no. Together, the two of them may yet hold hope for Dipan. All of that was crushed. Had her mother thought her daughter dead? Was that why?

_I'm sorry... _The words could never be enough. It was at times like these that Silmeria longed for the arms to reach out for Alicia and hold her. But... even if she possessed such arms, would she be able to use them? Or would she stand there with Rufus, speechless in anger and absolute failure? She at least wished that he could do what she could not, but understood why he didn't. Neither of them deserved to. They had failed.

The soldiers lifted the casket once more and carried it away. Silmeria did nothing as she allowed Alicia to cry. She wished to let Alicia stay there until she had regained her strength. Though the girl was being strong, Silmeria had no idea how much more she could take. The showdown with Hrist remained.

All at once, she snapped to attention, pushing Alicia quickly into the back of her mind. Alicia objected in her grief, but Silmeria had to remain firm. There was someone there, someone who never should have been there. She sensed something both powerful and close by. She immediately drew her sword.

The others raised their weapons in response to this. "Hrist?" Rufus asked, moving quickly to her side with his bow.

"No," she replied, and fixed her eyes on the dark passage that lied before them. Rufus and the others looked on with her. A female swordsman with a winged helm stepped towards them from the shadows, but it was not Hrist at all.

"Lezard Valeth!" the figure said in a loud, dominating, voice; but one not so harsh and taunting as Hrist's. "I should have known that you would have had something to do with this trickery."

Silmeria turned her head to look back at Lezard, who merely pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Lenneth Valkyrie, I presume?" he asked her. "We've already met the other two, so you must be."

"Don't play dumb!" the valkyrie demanded. As she stepped into the light, they saw that her armor was blue, her feathers white, and her hair a long silver braid. "Do you think me a fool?"

Lezard looked to Silmeria for help, but she was skeptical of his innocence. She turned to Lenneth without questioning him, however. "Lenneth," she addressed her. "Do you not recognize me?"

Lenneth's blue eyes lit with recognition. "Silmeria!" she exclaimed, but kept her sword raised. "How is this possible? Is this not Hrist's era?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Silmeria said. This was truly unexpected. "Has Odin sent you in place of Hrist? I would have expected you to have more honor than to assist in the crushing of a human nation."

All at once, Alicia grabbed Silmeria and pulled her back with uncanny force. Silmeria went reeling as Alicia took control of her body again and shouted in anger. "Did you do this? Did you _kill_ my mother?"

Lenneth moved her sword in the direction of Alicia in alarm. "Who are you, human?" she asked her. "What are you doing in Silmeria's body?"

Rufus took a step forward, making the point of his well-aimed arrow obvious to the valkyrie. "That's _her_ body, and you'd best not point your sword at it!" he said loudly. Dylan backed this up, holding his enormous blade at the ready.

Lenneth lowered her sword, but did not take her cold eyes off of them. She held up her opposite hand to point at Alicia instead. "Are you the Princess of Dipan?" she asked. As she did this, they saw that she held a golden circlet in her hand.

"That's my father's crown!" Alicia exclaimed. "My mother had it! You killed her!" Silmeria attempted to hold Alicia back, but had no luck. With a loud "Uwah!" Alicia swung her sword at Lenneth with all of her might. Silmeria's second-oldest sister deflected the attack easily and sent Alicia falling backwards. This time Rufus did make use of his capable arms and caught her, then he himself was steadied by Dylan clapping a hand on his back.

"I did not kill Queen Malabeth," Lenneth replied. "The last I saw of her, she was well."

Dylan's eyes narrowed as he met those of the valkyrie. "Lenneth, cold and loyal to Odin as you are, I do not believe you are a liar."

"I know not of what you speak," Lenneth replied, and pointed her hand at Lezard. "My grievance is with that man, there. Why is he in your company?"

Silmeria finally regained control. "You know nothing of my situation, do you, Lenneth?" she asked her.

"I know one thing," Lenneth replied in a saddened tone. "I know that your rebellious ways will end with you trapped within a crystal as Brahms's prisoner."

"Brahms's prisoner?" Silmeria scoffed. "Did you not know that the two of us are soul-sworn allies?"

"Allies?" Lenneth replied, shocked. "Surely you jest!"

Silmeria hesitated to answer. This was taking up their valuable time, and it was an unpredicted element. She was about to say something to this effect, when Lezard spoke. "I assume that we owe your visit to the time machine located underneath the castle," he said. "Let me guess... you are from the future?"

"You do not fool me, Lezard Valeth!" Lenneth retorted, once again snapping her sword at the mage.

"Lezard is an ally to our cause," Silmeria explained. "How do you know him?"

"He is a heretic who has broken the laws of nature," Lenneth replied. "After his acquisition of the philosopher's stone, he developed a process of transmuting elves and humans into half-elf vessels fit to trap the gods within them."

"What?" Rufus spouted, and whipped around to Lezard. "What the Hel? Is that why you seem so concerned about my dedication? _Is it_?"

"I have no idea what she means, I assure you!" Lezard replied.

Silmeria knew now that Lezard was lying, but there was the predicament of Hrist's approach. She had to keep her team together, whether it included a threat or not. "Could it be possible that Lezard's transgressions against the gods have yet to pass?" she asked. "He has been a loyal ally."

Lenneth looked at Lezard skeptically. "I doubt it," she replied. "However... I have run into other faces here..."

"So what?" Rufus interjected. "That still means that he has plans for me in the future!"

Silmeria wished that just this once, he wouldn't be so frank, "Rufus, please..."

Lenneth lowered her sword. "I see that all of you are wrapped up in something of great importance," she said. "I will put aside my judgment of Lezard momentarily, if you would explain to me what is going on. I have an ulterior mission here as well, once which concerns none of you."

"I'm afraid I don't have time," Silmeria replied, though she wanted to hear Lenneth's explanation just as much. She looked to Rufus, who was standing closer to Lenneth than Lezard at this point. Dylan was still her strongest card.

As if to mark her words, a bright violet light appeared and floated into the castle chamber from a hole in the ceiling made during the destruction. Silmeria, Rufus, and Dylan turned their attention to it.

"Hrist," Lenneth said. "Your quarrel is with her?"

"If you don't understand, then simply stay out of it," Silmeria replied.

"No," Lenneth said, stepping forward to join her at the front. "Likewise, I have things to discuss with Hrist Valkyrie."

The violet light converged at the end of the hall and formed two figures. One belonged to the valkyrie Hrist, whose armor and feathers were black as night. The other was Arngrim's, their former ally and friend.

Hrist drew her sword as she descended the steps that laid before them. "Silmeria," she said. "This is your last chance to surrender. With the Dragon Orb in his hands, Odin is no longer concerned with you. Escape this place with Alicia, and I will not be forced to take her life."

Silmeria allowed Alicia to respond to this. "I will never back down!" she retorted. "Silmeria and I fight together!"

"I expected as much," Hrist crooned, sounding a bit sad nonetheless. Her fiery yellow eyes traveled across the many faces in Silmeria's party. When they fell on Lenneth's, she scowled. "Lenneth," she said in a low tone, almost hissing. "I felt your presence some time ago, and figured that it was thanks to that abominable human contraption. Don't tell me that you've joined Silmeria's rebellion."

Lenneth raised her own sword to match Alicia's. "I am here merely to fulfill my duty to the world of the future," she replied. "Your wicked destruction of Dipan has left a deep mark on the face of Midgard which gives rise to the undead. I have come to purify the region by sating the soul of King Barbarossa. I would have accomplished my mission and been on my way, never crossing paths with you; but I see that there are many more issues at hand here. Is t true that Odin has taken the Dragon Orb? Do you not understand the implications of its removal from Midgard? This is an affront to the divine law of nature!"

Hrist was flustered and offended by that statement. "Odin will rid the land of Midgard of these heathen humans and--!"

"But what do _you_ want?" Silmeria interjected, speaking through Alicia. "It is time that you spoke for yourself! The issue of Dipan aside, you know that removing the sacred four treasures from their rightful places is not anyone's jurisdiction, not even the gods'!"

"I," Hrist began, and then stopped herself firmly. Arngrim glanced at her silently and then drew his sword. Her decision had been made. "There is no more room for debate," she said. "Silmeria... Alicia... If the two of you seek the ephemeral solace of combat together, then you shall have it!"

"I may be no match for you, Hrist," Silmeria replied, "but can you defeat Lenneth and I together?"

"I do not wish to fight you, sister," Lenneth said, "but nothing will stand between me and the accomplishment of my mission. I, too, serve the gods loyally."

Hrist did not shrink in the face of this adversity. "I am the one who always fights alone," she replied. She lowered her sword and raised her lance instead. "Come, let fate decide the true answer!"

With that, she swung; and Silmeria and Lenneth dove to attack her. The three valkyries became locked in a multiplexed contradiction, a battle between three reflections of the same spirit.

Dylan moved to support Silmeria, but Arngrim stepped in to counter him. "Stay out of it," Arngrim commanded, clashing his sword against Dylan's. The two massive blades clattered with a noise like thunder and became locked in a duel.

Rufus held his aim steady on Hrist, ready to fire at her as soon as he could do so without injuring Alicia or Lenneth; but spoke to Lezard. "I'll put off our discussion until this is done, but rest assured that I'm not finished with you."

"Certainly," Lezard replied. "However... I believe the important thing to note at this point is that we are not alone."

"What?" Rufus replied.

Lezard pointed to a shifting shape behind a column. "The mages," he said. "They are planning something."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Rufus shouted, and spun wildly around. He fired a bolt at one of the shifting shapes darting about in the shadows, but it was too inhumanly fast for even his skillful aim. "Damn it!" he shouted as he strung another arrow.

By then it was too late, and from that point on, what happened was hard for him to follow-let alone understand. The two mages, Walter and Gyne, each shot a beam from opposite sides of the hall which met each other exactly where the three valkyries were locked in combat. A magic circle appeared written in light on the ground beneath them. Alicia, Lenneth, and Hrist were each paralyzed within it.

"Alicia!" Rufus shouted, and leapt towards her, but he was repelled by the force of the magical system, and thrown clearly across the room and into a wall.

Dylan and Arngrim's duel ceased. "Hrist," Arngrim said, looking up. Just as he did, his figure was dematerialized. Hrist had lost the control needed to keep her Einherjar by her side.

Dylan, or rather, the spirit which rest within Dylan, saw Silmeria's ethereal figure linger over Alicia's body, ready to dissipate. Hrist and Lenneth's were there as well. "Silmeria!" he shouted, and his body was all at once consumed by an intense flame as his body transformed. When it subsided, he was no longer Dylan, but the Lord of the Undead, Brahms.

Rufus watched this in shock and appall, unable to move from his position at all. As he tried to grasp just what in the hell was going on, Lezard stood up and began to cast some sort of spell or other. Rufus didn't understand how any of them had the strength to stand, it was if they weren't mortal. Then it occurred to him--they weren't.

As Brahms attempted to break Silmeria and the others out of the confinement of the magical fields which was simultaneously trapping them and tearing them from their respective hosts, Lezard began to cast a magical lattice over the entire thing, to alter the spell.

Then, lo and behold, if Freya herself didn't appear right behind Brahms. Rufus tried to shout, but his voice would not work. He watched as Silmeria's brightly colored spirit shot out from Alicia's body in an effort to warn him, to no avail. Freya trapped Brahms within a crystal while his guard was down. Silmeria remained trapped within the field, beating upon it with her fists.

When this was done, Freya was surprised to see that there was still interference with the passage of the Sovereign's Rite. By then, each of the valkyries should have been transferred. Of course, this would have been troublesome for her, considering that Lenneth was present when she shouldn't have been. "That lattice!" she exclaimed. To this, Lezard began to laugh like a crazed man. Freya scowled as Lenneth's astral figure was pulled from her body. "You fool!" she shouted in her great, booming, voice. "If you transfer Lenneth's spirit while her human host is already on Midgard in this time, she'll be lost forever! Do you not understand the implications of that? You'll destroy all of time and space!"

"Let it be destroyed!" Lezard cackled, then decided to retract his statement. "Oh, worry not, wretched goddess," he crooned as if he enjoyed the sound of every word, and his hands began to glow with the bright blue aura of Lenneth's power. Freya backed away, fearing the unrestrained might of Lenneth Valkyrie. "I would never put my dearest Lenneth's existence at stake. It is true that this was not in my plans--some improvisation is needed, but the final result is that Lenneth Valkyrie is finally in my hands! You are correct, I haven't the chance to prepare a proper vessel for her--I've been too busy playing with these fools to come up with a proper humonculous--but I do have a spare vessel lying around that should work nicely!"

He swung his hand in an elaborated motion in the direction of Rufus, who remained all but crippled against the wall. The blue light flashed so brightly that Freya retreated at once, taking the imprisoned Brahms with her. Rufus screamed in terror and agony as he felt his very soul twist and pull into something else.

Alicia was only vaguely aware of all of these things happening around her. It was like listening to the outside from within her body when Silmeria was in control. It was fuzzy, it echoed. She felt Silmeria's essence being siphoned from her body and was more afraid than she had ever been in her entire life.

_Where are you? Rufus! Dylan! Silmeria!_

The last thing that she heard before falling completely unconscious was the maniacal laughter of Lezard. How could she have trusted him? The same way she had trusted Leone and Arngrim, she had fallen for his tricks as well.

_Why am I so weak? Why can't I do anything?_

Her body fell to the floor in a limp pile as the Sovereign's Rite ceased functioning. The last remaining wisps of energy and magic power circled around her as the symbol upon the floor faded away.

All was silent. She was alone.


	2. Posession Within the Mist

**Title:** Vessel of the Gods (Part 2)  
**Author: **FridayFrige  
**Rating: **"M" for mature content. This chapter contains violence, cursing, and a little bit of molestation (it's Lezard, come on).  
**Pairing:**LezardxLenneth, RufusxAlicia, and some others, maybe.  
**Synopsis: **Lenneth's visit to Dipan results in a time paradox when Lezard captures her in the body of Rufus, a half-elf vessel.  
**Extra Note: **Just in case you never played the original, or your memory of it is a little shaky, the Lenneth in this story is from just after Lenneth sends Lucian in the A-path of Valkyrie Profile. She has awakened to her human side just long enough to kiss Lucian, but still denies that she has any human emotions or that gods can love humans. That's just a little background info.

* * *

Alicia awoke groggy. Once she began to move and sat up, her entire body ached as if she had been pricked over every square inch of her skin by tiny needles. She cringed until this subsided and then shook her head clear. It wasn't until then that she remembered what had happened.

"Silmeria!" she shouted, fearing that abysmal emptiness that had crept up behind her when she was trapped in that strange magical barrier.

_I'm still here,_ came Silmeria's response.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Alicia exclaimed, and sighed deeply in belief. "If felt like you were gone..."

_I was--for a little while,_ she answered. _I was left floating around here when the spell ended... but, I was able to return to your body. I think that this is a sign that your powers are increasing. You may be able to materialize Einherjar on your own very soon._

"That's good, I suppose," Alicia replied as she began to stand up. She still felt woozy. "But what good is it going to do us?" She took a long look around at the ruins of the castle scattered before them. A piece of the stone wall crumbled away as she stood in silence wondering what could possibly be done now. "Everyone is gone..." She brought a hand up to her face and tried to force herself not to cry. "Are they dead? I mean, well... Dylan was already dead I suppose, but... Rufus! If he died before being cured of his curse, then not even his soul could be saved, could it?"

_A soul is not such a fragile thing,_ Silmeria responded. _Not even Odin can own such a thing as a soul. There is hope for Rufus yet--besides, I sincerely doubt that he is dead. _

"What happened to him?" Alicia said, a small bit of hope sounding in her voice. "We must help him if we can!"

_Both Rufus and Dylan have been captured._

"You mean... by the gods?"

_Dylan--not Rufus_, Silmeria replied. _Which is why we'll focus on saving Rufus first. Brahms is quite safe where he is. Besides, without Rufus, I doubt that we stand much of a chance of saving him. Then, there is the added complication of Lenneth..._

"Brahms?" Alicia wondered aloud. "What happened?"

_There is something that I have been keeping from you, Alicia._

Alicia sighed, suddenly feeling that perhaps even Silmeria couldn't be trusted. "I figured..." Even Rufus had kept his secrets at first. She lacked faith in anyone at this point.

_I am sorry, it was--_

"To keep me innocent to your knowledge?" Alicia finished for her. "Stop hiding things from me. Of all people, you are the only one that I can trust right now."

_I know. _

Alicia waited silently for her to continue. She couldn't imagine making Silmeria feel guilty, but perhaps that was what had occurred. Suddenly she felt bad herself for snapping at her in such a way.

_Prior to your birth, I rebelled from Odin. In the battle that ensued, I sided with the lord of the undead, Brahms. He was the only one capable of opposing Odin. In the battle that ensued, Brahms was mortally injured. One of my Einherjar offered himself so that Brahms could survive and eventually rejuvenate inside of me. Dylan, our loyal follower and my Einherjar, became the host for Brahms. _

"You mean he has been dormant inside of me all of this time?" Alicia exclaimed in such surprise that her voice squeaked a bit. "I never felt anything!"

_Yes, and thus, neither did Odin._

Alicia sighed, putting this all into place. "So... Dylan was Brahms, and Brahms was captured by Odin. Is that right?"

_Yes,_Silmeria replied. _They will be keeping him alive and locked up quite safely, I am sure. Odin's greed knows no bounds. Though Freya might opt to use Brahms' soul to stabilize Midgard, I am sure that Odin will want to keep both Brahms and the Dragon Orb for himself. If we do not hurry, Midgard will be in serious danger of collapsing._

"But Rufus..."

_Without Brahms, our only option left is Rufus's potential. Rufus was captured by Lezard, along with Lenneth's spirit. I believe that he is using Rufus as a vessel to contain Lenneth. I can only hope that Lenneth of the future is still as honorable as I knew her to be in the past. She would not push Rufus out of his own body in order to preserve himself. _

Alicia looked down at her feet and pressed her fingers together. "Rufus... shares his body with a goddess now, too..."

_Quickly, we must leave Dipan and find where Lezard has taken him._

"Of course," Alicia agreed, and straightened up. It occurred to her that she had no idea where to go.

_If we play our cards right, perhaps can win Lenneth to our side as well. That will give us another option._

"Please," Alicia said pleadingly, trying not to sound nagging or ungrateful. "Don't talk about Rufus like he's just some weapon in our arsenal. He's a person... a dear friend... the only one that I have left, except for you."

_I did not mean it that way,_ Silmeria said reassuringly. _I fully intend to keep Rufus with us even if he should die. Don't worry... I won't give up on him. _

Alicia was silent to this, which affirmed her agreement. The thought of Rufus becoming an Einherjar was somewhat unsettling, but she thought that if he agreed to it, that she wouldn't mind carrying him safely inside of her. Maybe he would even like it, having a warm place to rest for a while. She knew that she would like to provide that for him if there was any way that she possibly could.

_You can start by asking around in Solde,_ Silmeria instructed. _I don't know how far he can teleport with that spell of his, but someone may have seen him nearby. It would be difficult for him to hide, toting an unconscious half-elf around._

"And if Rufus was conscious," Alicia replied, "I'm sure that he would make a fuss loud enough that they could hear him in Niflheim."

_Let's hope for that._

Alicia bent and picked up her father's crown, which laid where it had been dropped by Lenneth Valkyrie. Her father had been a large man, and she supposed that he had had a big head, in one or more ways. The crown was so large that it nearly looked like a belt compared to her. To think that the head it once encircled was now in a pail somewhere, beheaded from it's body... it made her want to cry again.

But she did not. She carried the crown with her as she left the castle of Dipan, intent on saving her friends.

- - -

Everything was suddenly too bright to see--like someone had thrown him right into the sun--and then quickly it became extremely dark.

He and she were both screaming in some enclosed space where their voices could only be heard by each of them, bouncing off the wall of what separated them from other people, the wall that kept their dark secrets and unwanted feelings inside. It was a wall that now trapped them together. She screamed, finding herself in a mind that wasn't her own. He did the same, finding someone in his who was not supposed to be there. This cry of agony fell silent as Rufus lost his grip on consciousness and fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next thing that Rufus was conscious of after that was a searing burn all over his body. It felt as if he had been dragged half-way across the world (and that was exactly what had happened quite literally, though he had no idea of it). When he moved, he found that his arms were stuck in a fixed position over his head in such a way that there was not enough room for him to stand--not that he wanted to at the moment. There was a horrendous crick in his neck and every muscle felt just as sore as his skin.

Secondly, he was cold. It was pitch black (either that, or he was blinded) but he thought that if he could see, then certainly his breath would be visible in this cold. To make matters worse, he was pretty sure that his clothes were completely gone. His hair was wet and clung to his skin, improving his neck ache and temperature problems none at all; and the surface under his legs felt damp and clammy.

A cold air circulated through, brushing every square inch of him. Yup--naked, he thought. Not that this came as a surprise; it was standard procedure with prisoners, and he had been one for most of his life. This cold wouldn't kill him, but it would make him want to do or say absolutely anything just for the small comfort of a blanket. He pulled at the bonds over his head. They were metal braces shackled right into the wall. He then attempted to stand, suffering quite a bit in the process. If he were a shorter person maybe there would have been a chance, but the best that he could manage was a strange crab-like position. No, there was no getting out of this unless he wanted to chew his hands off.

That did not surprise him. What _surprised_ him was the fact that he was not alone.

_Sir Rufus, are you injured?_

_"_"Ah!" Rufus yelped in alarm. Even his voice was hoarse. "Who's there?"

_Lenneth Valkyrie_, she responded in annoyance.

"I can't see," he said, remembering all of that screaming he had done in that dream-like place in apprehension. "Don't tell me that you're..."

_I am currently using your body as a host_, she replied.

"Well, stop it!" Rufus replied, and bit his lip in anger. He had come all of this way only to become a vessel for some goddess. If it had to be that way, then he would rather die--give up his soul and all--just to spite the gods.

_I only wish that I could_, she answered. Her voice inside of him sounded honestly remorseful, and this changed his attitude quickly. Lenneth was not like Odin. _I was placed here rather against my will._

"All right," Rufus sighed. "I guess I can't hold it against you for what Lezard has done."

_I understand that you are cursed_, she said. _Please know that in this world--this time, it is impossible for me to be transferred. There is already a Lenneth here, though she is sleeping on Midgard. There is no easy way out of this for me, either. Should you die, both of our souls will be lost to the void._

"I'm not sure if that reassures me," he replied with a bitter chuckle, "but thanks for sharing, Lenn."

He could _feel_ her recoil in disgust at the nickname. It was the strangest thing, like a tickle in the back of his head. _All the same, I am a valkyrie, _she went on. _I am familiar with suicide and noble sacrifice. In order to save you--and more importantly, this world--I would allow myself to be destroyed. However... I am afraid that Lezard wants me, and so by leaving your body, I would be sentencing you to death. _

"He wants you?"

_Yes,_ Lenneth explained. _He is a heretic absorbed by lust for both my power and my love._

Rufus balked in disbelief. "He's in_ love _with you?"

_I know nothing of love,_ she replied. _Such thoughts are trivial to a goddess._

Rufus laughed softly, though he really didn't feel like laughing. "You sound overly defensive," he said. "Or maybe I can just feel you guarding something because you're inside of me like this."

_Perhaps you can tell me, then, for I have no idea what it is that consumes Lezard's heart. _

"I wouldn't know," he replied with a tired sigh. This position he was in had managed to get even more uncomfortable. He was surprised that such a think was possible.

Lenneth remained silent as he struggled to find a spot to lean his head against. Despite having just regained consciousness, he felt tired beyond belief. "I wonder if Alicia is okay," he said, failing in his attempts to relax.

_Is the princess your lover? _Lenneth asked him. Once again, he felt her shrink back in disgust. The suggestion of her sister making love to a mortal, even by proxy, was sickening to her.

"I just told you I wouldn't know anything about that!" he barked, kicking his legs up. As soon as he did, he wished he hadn't. Everything hurt. Look who was being defensive now. "Alicia," he said, calming down. "She's kind to me. Everyone else was lying--even Silmeria, I suppose. Well, I take that back. Silmeria has this way of not lying, but not really telling you the whole truth either." He sighed again. "Anyway... I wouldn't want anything to happen to Alicia. I kind of hope that Silmeria was transferred out of her body--that way, she can be a normal person now. The gods will leave her alone. If I can't have that, then at least I could be happy knowing that she can."

_When you speak this way, it somehow feels warmer._

"Is it warm in there?" Rufus laughed. "I'm surprised that my mind isn't as cold as it is out here."

_We can trade places, if you prefer._

"I don't..." Rufus considered that, holding his mouth open mid-sentence in though. Alicia and Silmeria willingly traded places all of the time, and Alicia never seemed to mind it. Still, the thought of handing his body over to a goddess was not a pleasant one.

_You may sleep while I am in control._

"All the same, I'll pass," he answered her. "But thanks. I know you're only concerned since my body is your body at the moment, but still... I appreciate you asking me first."

- - -

He held a vial carefully, examining its contents. Inside the glass tube was a lock of green hair belonging to his half-elf companion. Gingerly he set it into the recess of a large machine designed with a specific purpose in mind. A slimy liquid filled the vial, assimilating the hairs into itself hungrily as if it was alive.

The dark laboratory shook in anger. As he expected, the complex machinery was unsatisfied with the meager offering, and the tube (large enough to hold a human being) situated to the left of it flashed once before whatever was inside of it screamed and died before it had even taken solid shape from the primordial goo that filled it.

"Disappointing," Lezard sighed, but nothing about this surprised him. The mechanics in this era were not nearly as sophisticated as he would have liked, and engineering them on his own would take some time. It may have worked with more material--blood and tissue samples at the least--but he dared not bring harm to his subject while Lenneth's soul was settling in inside of him. Once she was firmly rooted, perhaps he could try. He wasn't object to bringing Lenneth pain and physical harm. It was battle maiden's language--the only way that he could speak to her and be heard.

He stood and brushed himself off. It was time to check on the half-elf again an see if he had woken up. Hopefully Lenneth would be willing to speak. If not, he did have means of persuading her.

- - -

Rufus sat quietly wishing impatiently that Lezard would hurry up and do whatever he was keeping him alive for and get it over with. Unfortunately, he reminded himself that Lezard was simply using him for Lenneth storage. He cursed at himself for never realizing it sooner. Lezard had always been weird, but he had thought that was just the way mages normally were. You can't practice the black arts to such a degree and come out normal. All the same, he should have seen it in that smug grin that he had often given Silmeria. The thought of Lezard looking at Alicia with that look in his eyes enraged him now that he understood what it meant.

A clatter rumbled from far away. It sounded as if an old door had been opened, muffled through a few walls. A moment later, footsteps could be heard. The door to Rufus's prison creaked open. As it did, three torches within the room ignited by way of magic, filling the chamber with rusty red and gold light.

Though they were dim, Rufus's eyes stung and took a moment to adjust. When they did, he saw Lezard standing before him, the light reflecting off the rounded glass of his spectacles menacingly. "Has my Lenneth decided to wake up?" he asked in a deceptively pleasant tone, smirking.

"Sorry, she's not in right now," Rufus taunted him. "Would you like me to take a message and come back later?"

"You remind me of an old friend, Sir Rufus," Lezard replied. "Not only are you stupid and arrogant, you have the same hair--oh, and you look like a woman."

Rufus chuckled bitterly through clenched teeth. "Lezard, when I get out of here..."

"I did kill her, my dear Mysty, but she really wanted to die. Life was just a shackle for her--as it is for you. I am not a villain, Sir Rufus. Should you comply, I promise that I can make things worth it to you. Why, wouldn't you like to be an Einherjar? I don't think you'll be getting inside of Alicia any other way any time soon."

"Damn you!" Rufus shouted. "Don't even speak about her, you bastard!"

"Ah, that's a tender spot, I know," Lezard crooned, faking sympathy. He knelt in front of Rufus, who was now very aware of and unhappy with his nudity. "Would you like to see Odin destroyed?" he said with a smile. "Just help me to remove that bothersome valkyrie from your body, and it'll be done."

"Yeah, and then you'll be done with me," Rufus answered back sharply. "You'll kill me or worse."

"Fine," Lezard sighed. "If you don't understand the value of an astral body, then I'll have to take Lenneth away from you by force." He narrowed his eyes and stared deeply into Rufus's as if looking past him, searching out the other soul that was there. "I will hurt him, Lenneth," he said. "I will hurt him very badly."

Lenneth's voice was clear to Rufus, but went unheard by Lezard. _Sir Rufus... I doubt he is bluffing._

Rufus did not need to hear that. He knew that he wasn't. Nevertheless, he glared at Lezard bravely. "She's not answering to _you_, so just give up already."

Lezard sighed deeply and stood up, shaking his head in dismay. "As always, she turns her nose up at my very existence," he said in a distant tone. "She would rather speak to you, a lowly puppet, than to me, I take it." He clenched his gloved fists and looked down at Rufus with a sneer. "Then I shall communicate with her in the only way that I know how."

He lifted his foot and kicked Rufus hard in the side, just above his ribs where nothing vital would be injured, but in a spot where it still hurt like all Hel combined. Rufus shouted an obscenity and flailed his legs trying to hit Lezard back, but it was no use.

"Take your time, Lenneth!" Lezard cried and continued to beat his prisoner. "I have been waiting months now for an excuse to strike this ignorant fool!"

- - -

The city of Crell Monterfrienge seemed so much larger without Rufus and the others at her side. Alicia was so short that it seemed more like she was protected by a wall with tall men like Dylan and Rufus around. Even in the bustle of the city, it seemed too quiet without Rufus's constant wisecracks and Dylan's flat but hysterical way of responding to them.

_You must stand up and do this yourself_, Silmeria told her, as if their thoughts were one. _ Rufus needs you._

"I know!" Alicia said too loudly. Like what had once happened in Solde when their journey began, a few people on the street turned to look at her. They went on their way quickly enough, and Alicia walked on. "I know," she repeated quietly, "but there isn't any more information. We've followed Lezard's trail for days now, and it's gotten cold."

_If you lose hope, it's all over._

"I..._know_," she said once more, sadly this time. "Well... let's go back to the tavern again. Maybe the afternoon crowd will have more to say."

- - -

It wasn't very long before Lezard was panting for breath. He had never been athletic, after all. Rufus, on the other hand, was not unused to this sort of treatment, and bore it well. Lenneth was impressed. Silmeria had chosen her followers well, it seemed.

"Well," Lezard said, catching his breath. He knelt again, squatting in front of Rufus. "I did not wish to harm your host dramatically, Lenneth, but it appears that he's tougher than his appearances would let on."

"Yeah, and you're a pansy," Rufus retorted, then spit at him. There was blood mixed into his saliva.

Lezard frowned at this and leaned towards him. He reached upwards and grasped Rufus's hands, which were bound behind his head. Rufus became uncomfortable and enraged by the closeness between them and shook violently to no avail.

"Do you understand what will happen if I break his fingers, Lenneth?" he asked the goddess hidden inside of Rufus. "Even should he have the good fortune to live through this and heal his wounds, he will never regain his dexterity. Seeing as how bowing seems to be his only art, it would render him _completely_ worthless--which is a far step down from _marginally_ worthless as he is at the moment." He added the last bit with a laugh, far too amused with his own humor.

Rufus did not like the idea of having his only skill taken away from him, but he liked the notion of giving up to this traitorous son of a bitch even less. "Sorry, looks like she's not biting," he said, and gave Lezard a snarky grin.

Though the desired effect was anger, Lezard seemed to be ignoring Rufus all together at this point. There was something delusional and almost mad about it. Rufus began to believe that perhaps Lezard really was completely off his rocker, and just hid it very well. "This is your last chance, Lenneth Valkyrie," he answered slowly with a delighted smirk on his lips, as if enjoying the taste of the name, so very similar to his own. His gloved fingers clamped around Rufus's bare and calloused ones which had been marred so by the constant performance of the very talent that he treasured.

_My deepest apologies, Sir Rufus_, Lenneth said in a truly remorseful tone. _I fear that if I answer to his pleas, then your torture will truly begin._

"Torture isn't a new one on me," he replied to the voice in his head. Of course, the elves and their Aesir masters had made a point never to damage him _permanently_. He had to be fit and pretty for Odin to use later, after all. "Don't you worry. I've got a high tolerance for pain, I'll be all right." It sounded odd even to his own ears. Just why was he trying to console a valkyrie, anyway?

"Damn you!" Lezard growled. "Speaking so casually to my goddess! Do you believe that you can taunt me?"

Rufus cried out in pain as Lezard twisted his smallest left finger back mercilessly, breaking it in two places. He swore loudly and struggled against his bonds with all of his might to no avail.

"Oh, Lenneth!" Lezard cried, enjoying this far too much. "Do you feel his pain as well? Do you turn your shoulder coldly upon him even as you use his body as a vessel? Are you that high above us mortals?"

A second finger snapped, the ring finger. Rufus shouted again, but curse words and guttural sounds were all that he could manage to form. He refused to beg him to stop it. It was not long before the third went. The pattern was obvious, break them in order of usefulness. Next would be the index finger and then his thumb. Then he would move to the right hand--he had plenty of material to stretch this out for as long as he wanted to.

After each of his four left fingers had been rendered useless, Lezard stopped and allowed the pain to subside just enough to make starting again that much worse. "You know, Sir Rufus," he said in his smoothest tone, "you could push her forward if you tried hard enough. I'll stop it if you just allow me to speak to her, I promise."

Rufus retorted in voice already hoarse from shouting. "Fuck off!"

"Tsk, tsk," Lezard replied, shaking his head. "Silmeria never taught you the art of negotiation. That's too bad."

The index finger of his right hand went this time as Lezard skipped his thumb. Rufus screamed as the pain filled him up again. Lezard scowled. "Oh, it doesn't hurt _that _badly, does it?" he said in annoyance. "You are over-reacting as usual."

Rufus felt Lenneth push him forcibly to the back. _Wait, stop it!_ he shouted in the echoing background of his own mind. Is this how Alicia so often felt? Like a prisoner in her own body?

When Lenneth took control, his senses were numbed, or perhaps it was more precise to say that they were buffered. Silmeria explained to him once how she used this effect to protect Alicia from levels of pain that might render the poor girl unconscious, though it was a great strain upon herself. Silmeria acted like she was strong, but she was in no more place to protect Alicia than Alicia was to protect her.

Lezard watched in fascination and delight as Rufus's deep emerald green eyes became a slate blue, a color like the sky peeking through grey clouds.

"Ah, so there you are, my love," Lezard crooned softly, as he removed his hand from one of his gloves. With the fingers now bare, he caressed the side of Rufus's face from his slightly pointed ear to his slender chin. It now wore a serious and noble expression so uncharacteristic of him that his current identity was unmistakable. Lezard smiled mocking innocence. "Have you finally come out to play?"

"Your sins shall not go unpunished," Lenneth said. Her beautifully dark woman's voice spilled out of Rufus's mouth with an eerie smoothness.

Lezard grinned at the sound of it and pressed himself against her unwilling host's body. With his lips close to the not-quite elfin ear, he softly spoke. "Oh, to hear your voice again," he sighed. "What pleasure it brings me! It matters not what dress you wear, fair valkyrie... when I hear that cold and lovely voice of yours, I can only see your beautiful silver hair and gentle curves."

Rufus gagged. Even with his tactile sensation blurred by Lenneth's overbearing conscious, the sensation of Lezard's hands caressing over his neck and chest was unshakable. He tried to focus on the pain in his fingers which throbbed through his entire body, as it served to block out everything else--things like the uncontrollable shiver in his lower stomach. He felt as if even his own body had betrayed him.

Lenneth spoke no more, and this amused Lezard. "Now you fall silent just to spite me?" he laughed. "Fine, then I shall put those lips to better use..."

_Stop! stop it!_ Rufus shouted like the audience trying to warn a character in a play of their inevitable murder. There was no response from Lenneth. Every fiber of his soul screamed out in frustration as Lezard pressed his lips to those belonging to Rufus's woefully possessed body. It was bad enough while Lenneth was also resisting, but when Lenneth began to respond favorably to Lezard's affection by pursing her lips there was nothing he could do but shout about it.

Lenneth's lips parted willingly. _What the hel are you doing? _Rufus exclaimed loudly, while flailing about wildly in his mental space like a beached fish. She began to lick at Lezard's mouth in invitation. _Have you gone crazy? Don't let him do that to me! _

Lezard's mouth was soft and deceptively gentle. He tasted of mint as if he'd prepared for this in advance. Why not? He had planned an entire alternate timeline--he could certainly prepare himself for an evening with Lenneth. As he thought this, Rufus wanted to vomit and wished that he was in control so that he could do it right into the smug bastard's mouth. How could anyone actually enjoy this mess of clattering teeth and saliva?

Lezard's eyes were closed, no doubt as he was imagining Lenneth's body. His hands groped at Rufus's chest where breasts would have been if he was Lenneth, but there was nothing to fondle there. He was engrossed in Lenneth's armless embrace, grasping greedily at her host's broad shoulders and long hair--almost as thick and luxurious her original body's... _almost_.

When he felt Lenneth's lips relax, he nearly jumped at the chance to press his tongue into her, but stopped himself. He pulled them apart abruptly and gave a loud "Ha!" before sneering. "You almost had me, Lenneth... I very nearly pushed my tongue into your mouth, where you would have bitten it off at the vein. That, I dare say, would have impeded my spell-casting ability quite a bit! How clever!"

A peal of wicked laughter spilled from his chest in such a wild motion that he had to lean his head back to let it out. "Oh, your are so crafty and sly, Lenneth my love! I never would have expected you to use your body to trick me in such a manner!" He continued chuckling in a more subdued voice. "Well, I suppose it is of little consequence to you, since this is not _your_ body."

Rufus sighed in relief. At least he knew that Lenneth was still on his side, and she was trying to help. _Damn it, could you let me in on the plan next time?_ he asked bitterly, feeling nonetheless violated. One was trying to rape his body, the other was raping his mind. Then suddenly his head felt heavy as Lenneth thrust him back into the forward. He was once again intensely aware of everything. Pain, fatigue, strange carnal feelings of arousal that he never wanted--everything.

Lezard scowled furiously at him, and Rufus returned the favor. "_You_ again?" Lezard hissed as if he was surprised and, furthermore, offended to see Rufus's eyes turn back to their original color.

"Bastard!" Rufus shouted, and attempted to butt his head violently into the mage's skull. Lezard deftly avoided this attack. He responded by smacking Rufus hard across the face with the back of his hand. Rufus saw stars and was amazed that the little punk could hit that hard.

"He'll pass out eventually anyway," Lezard sneered, slipping his glove back on. "Then it will be just you and me, my lady love."

_Would you like to rest?_ Lenneth asked. _It may not be pleasant, but I can at least keep you alive... and you can remain unconscious for the worst of it._

Rufus considered that. If he was going to be raped either way, wouldn't he rather be unconscious for it? Then he shook his head firmly, as if arguing with himself. She would still be conscious. "No, I won't let you do that," he said.

Lezard was once again giddy in amusement. "Are you actually attempting to _protect_ her, Sir Rufus?" he laughed. "What has she done to deserve such loyalty? Or is acting a hero merely the last thing that you can do to convince yourself that you have any ounce of power remaining?"

"I'm doing it because it pisses you off," Rufus said with a cocksure grin. This earned him another sharp blow to the head. This time he thought he really might pass out, and just barely managed not to.

_Sir Rufus, please... _Lenneth said in concern. For the first time, she sounded undoubtedly feminine, almost like Alicia. _You do not need to..._

"Let's expedite this process, shall we?" Lezard said, and stood from his position over Rufus's body. He held out his hand in preparation to cast a feat of magic. "Lightning bolt," he said in the grave battle tone that Rufus had heard so many times before when they were on the same side.

The beams of electricity jumped from Lezard's hands and ripped through Rufus's body, causing a pain so intense that even Lenneth screamed inside of her strongly barricaded area of Rufus's psyche.

He fell unconscious almost instantly. Lezard frowned, as he realized that he had knocked out Lenneth in the process as well. He brought a hand to his face in dismay and pushed his glasses u[. "Patience," he reminded himself, nudging Rufus's limp body with his foot. "It's so easy to get carried away... If you can hear me Lenneth, then just wait. I will have a beautiful vessel suited just for you created post haste."

He knelt and began to take the needed samples.


	3. An Upsetting Emotion

**Title:** Vessel of the Gods (Chapter 3)  
**Author: **FridayFrige  
**Rating:** "M" for mature content. (More Lezard-centric sexual harassment.)  
**Pairing: **LezardxLenneth, RufusxAlicia... Sort of RufusxLenneth in this one? WHAT.  
**Synopsis:** Significantly less Alicia in this chapter than I thought there would be, but the Lezard/Lenneth/Rufus scene really exploded in length.

- - -

The forest to the southeast of Crell Monterfriange was cold enough to raise the goose bumps on Alicia's skin as she continued her search for Rufus and Lezard. Not long ago, it seemed, she was running through this same area of the world--running away from Hrist. The flowers that had bloomed so brilliantly that night were now sparse.

She stopped and sat on her knees upon the ground, clutching her arms for warmth under the thick white robe she wore. It was too much. Even the unusual cold in this season was due to her failure. The Dragon Orb was gone, and Midgard was already suffering.

_Why are you stopping?_ Silmeria asked her.

"It's hopeless, isn't it?" Alicia said in a shaking voice. "We've been searching for weeks now..." She trembled to think that Rufus was dead, that he had died without ever knowing that she was searching for him so desperately.

_You're right. _ Silmeria responded bluntly. Alicia's head popped up in shock. _ I suppose it is useless. Oh well. Let's start looking for another option, then. There has to be some other way to get the Dragon Orb back._

"No!" Alicia protested. "We can't just abandon Rufus and find another way! Don't you care about him at all? As a person?"

_Yes, I do, _she answered in a calm tone,_ and I know that you do most of all. So... don't give up._

A sob racked Alicia's body. The shame she felt at Silmeria's turn of words was overwhelming, and yet she felt too hopeless to move. There was no god who would grant her a sign, and no beacon to show her the way. Even Silmeria's powers of Object Reading had proven useless.

"But_how_?" she asked her friend, her guardian, the person she admired more than anyone in the world. "Please, tell me, how can I keep on?"

_You have to find that for yourself,_ she answered. _That is one of the many things that I can not and should not do for you._

Alicia nodded and got up to her feet. She shivered in the cold, but she wasn't exhausted yet. "I won't give up," she said. "I swear that I'll find him, or I'll... I'll die trying."

She could feel Silmeria smiling._ I believe in you, so believe in yourself. _

_"_Those words from Silmeria were all that she required to press on, though the bitter winds pushed against her.

- - -

It was dark as ever in the cell where Rufus was held. He had no idea how many days had passed by, but he had no doubt that it was a considerable span of time.

He had not seen Lezard again at all, and for that he was grateful. Instead, a hulking beast as sickly green as a nasty booger had been tending to him. It appeared humanoid, but not quite enough for Rufus to refer to it as a he or she, though it was definitely not female. Its primary job was to feed, water, and beat Rufus at irregular intervals. Rufus fought back as well as he could, but the thing was little more than a semi-sentient blob incapable of feeling pain. He wasn't even sure if the random pacing of his visits were part of Lezard's plan to break him, or if the creature just lacked the mental capacity to remember to do his chores. Apparently Lezard was having a bit of trouble creating his man-made servants. He had expected more from the man who had twisted time itself.

Rufus's arms had been let free so that he could drink and eat, and keep Lenneth good and alive inside of his body. He still had no clothes, and even the meticulously threaded beads that he once kept in his hair were nowhere to be found. The only thing on his body was the ring adorning his now twisted and broken finger.

It would be so easy to end it all, he thought. Suicide for him wasn't nearly as complicated as it was for most people. He just had to slip that ring off, and after a rush of pain which now seemed miniscule compared to the agony that he had constantly been in for such a time that he couldn't guess, everything would be over. He wouldn't be reborn, he wouldn't ever have to think or feel ever again.

Lenneth was the only thing that kept him from going through with his plan. She told him stories of her Einherjar, many of which had been with her during the transfer and may well have been lost to the void. For that, Rufus felt her rage burning as strongly as his did when Lezard had mentioned Alicia. He knew that she told the stories to keep herself from thinking on it as well.

What interested him most was that Arngrim was mentioned as one of Lenneth's Einherjar. It was intensely strange, suddenly knowing the fate of a man you knew, even if he was your enemy. Arngrim would die and be reborn into the same role, and even wear the same scar across one eye. Was fate really that inescapable?

_You mortals are presented with unlimited opportunities to change your fate_, Lenneth explained to him. _That is precisely why mortals are chosen as Einherjar._

"To change the fate of the gods, you mean?" Rufus chuckled bitterly. "Odin owes so much to us, and yet he'll allow our world to wither and die sooner than he would return the Dragon Orb."

_I cannot condone these actions_, Lenneth replied gravely. _I am a loyal servant of Odin, but... I will protect your world if I can. Perhaps I can persuade him to return the orb._

"Good luck with that," Rufus sighed. His body ached all over, and he was cold. If he moved at all, the broken bones in his body--and he was pretty sure that a few fractured ribs had joined his fingers in that count--would explode with pain. He laid on his back unmoving for hours and hours on end. The boredom might kill him even if he didn't take off his ring.

"So you told me about all of your Einherjar," he said. Jelanda, Belenus, Aelia, and the rest--each of their stories had kept his mind sharp for as long as they could. "Do you know any good stories?"

_We gods do not tell many stories_, Lenneth replied. _I was awakened very recently in any case. I remember very little._

"Do goddesses have dreams like other people?" Rufus asked, with child-like wonder. "You could tell me about a dream."

_When I first awoke, I had a single dream_, she replied. _I dreamed that I wore a wedding dress, and that I was in a beautiful cathedral waiting to be wed._

Rufus laughed, causing a searing sting to shoot through his chest. "Ow," he grumbled as he calmed down, and even still, couldn't help but crack a smile. "Are you serious?"

_I find it quite ridiculous myself._

Rufus closed his eyes and tried to imagine it. He felt like he knew Lenneth very well now, and yet he had only seen her in person for a moment. Whenever he began to drift off to his own dreams, he could almost see her again. For all her formal speech and bluntness, her presence did fill him with some degree of warmth. He knew that he would never see Alicia's pretty smile again. He knew that he would never be given the opportunity to live up to Silmeria's wild expectations. He knew that he would never be able to serve justice to the gods, and change his fate. Still, he found something to live for simply because he did not want Lenneth to die.

There was a rap at the door to his cell, as if Rufus would be able to get up and unlock it to let the visitor in. He struggled to raise his head against the pain, a wild thought entering his mind. That beast-thing never knocked, so it had to be Lezard again, just doing it to be cheeky. If he could just rush the unsuspecting mage while that door was open... Hope. Could there really be hope?

_I will do this._ Lenneth said. _Perhaps he will be surprised to see me, and drop his guard._

Without making a sound, Rufus agreed. He closed his eyes and fell back into his own mind, softly this time. It was as if Lenneth was cradling him, dipping him gently into the warm pool of his own inner self. She was becoming more and more an inseparable part of him. Finally, he understood Alicia. He understood Silmeria. He hoped, ruing his former words, that Silmeria was not, if fact, transferred, and that Alicia would at least have her as company.

Lenneth rose up in Rufus's battered body, and crawled to the door just as it opened. A crack of light spread inside. She sprung at the crack like a cat, ignoring the stubborn refusal of Rufus's body to bend to her will. It was not that Rufus was holding her back, but simply that he was too injured to move. She moved him anyway, desperately lunging for the space between captivity and freedom.

Something hard caught her right in the gut and threw her fiercely back into the cell where even she was powerless to command Rufus's body. That was the end of hope. She tried to lift up just enough to see what had hit her, but could not even manage that.

"It's good to see you so lively, my love," Lezard chuckled in a deeply amused voice. "I thought that Sir Rufus was keeping you all to himself, but it pleases me to know that you have a bit left for me."

But Lenneth knew that Lezard hadn't been the one to hit her. He physically strong enough to throw Rufus's body in that manner with a single blow. She felt her consciousness blurring, and then she too went falling back into Rufus.

Rufus wanted to catch her, to be tender with her like she had been with him, and to help her; but one could not exist in the same space within him as the other. When she fell to the bottom, he was pushed just as roughly up to the top again.

"I thought you might like to see my progress," Lezard's voice lilted. "It's much better now, but still a long way from a vessel suitable for my darling Lenneth. Still, she is a fully functional homunculus."

"She...?" Rufus struggled, and forced himself up. He looked to the door to see Lezard standing far behind the one who had kicked him. Her feminine figure hid the incredible power which she possessed. The color of her body was a soft peach, and she wore only a thin white dress tied at the waist with a red sash. Her head was hung down as if she were sleep-walking, pouring wild, golden-blonde hair over her shoulders. "Silmeria," he gasped.

Somehow Rufus knew who she was, or at least who she was built in the image of, though he had never seen Silmeria in person. The most he had seen of her was a vague golden blur emerging from Alicia's body as the Sovereign's Rite overtook them. He was speechless in horror as the homunculus began to lurch forward without raising its head. As it drew near, he saw that its face was not human at all--a dark black pit reminiscent of every childhood nightmare he had ever had was there instead. Two red points of light glared out at him in the place of eyes, piercing right into his soul where Lenneth remained just as frozen stiff in terror.

"What the Hel _is_ that?" he shouted hoarsely, pushing himself away with what little remained of his strength. "What have you done to Silmeria, you _bastard_?"

"Oh, nothing yet," Lezard replied, mocking innocence. "You see, I can't bear to create a vessel in Lenneth's form that's so vile to look at. Her body is fabulous, right down to the important details, I assure you. However, the eyes seem to be somewhat attached to the soul. As unscientific as that idea is, it has proven true. As you can see, her eyes have eaten her entire face away! I will have to experiment more thoroughly to create one with a suitable face before I begin to design them in Lenneth's shape. Oh, if only I had access to my laboratory, this would be ever so much easier... But I figured that practicing on Silmeria couldn't be a waste! In the event that Lenneth's headstrong younger sister comes to save her loyal pet, I will have a place for her to stay for her visit."

Rufus could hardly hear him. He was too mystified and horror-stricken by the gaping void in the humonculus's face to process anything else. That blackness was all-consuming and never-ending. Lezard's words sounded muffled to his ears as he looked into it. Finally he tore himself away.

"I wanted to introduce her to you, Sir Rufus, to illustrate something."

"What's that?" Rufus asked. He knew Lezard would continue no matter what.

"That abysmal darkness in her face," he explained with a self-satisfied smirk. "That is the abyss. That place is exactly where you will find yourself should you do anything as foolish as remove that ring of yours. You and Lenneth both will go to that place... though not together. Oh, no... not together. _Together_ does not exist there, you see."

Rufus understood the point that he was making, and it was a good one. That thing was horrifying.

"Silmeria," Lezard crooned, pushing his glasses up.

The homunculus turned. It was downright freakish to watch it respond to a name. "Mas... ter..." it hissed in a voice that was vaguely like that of Silmeria's.

"Would you be a doll, and restrain Sir Rufus for me?"

"Ye...ess..." It turned its lack of a face back to Rufus. He recoiled in fear just as it moved with a startling swiftness. Suddenly it was behind him, pulling at his arms. He struggled, but what he put up could not be described very well as a fight, but more as a squirm. She sat and pressed her body against his back, her legs wrapped around his thighs and her arms clamped around his. She held him there fast and strong like a human vice. Even with his full strength, he doubted that he could escape. Hot breath blew against his neck from that black center of nothingness above her neck. He screamed.

Lezard knelt before his prisoner as he screamed, soaking up the sound. Rufus silenced himself as Lezard came nearer to him. _Not this again_, he thought. _Don't come near me! Don't touch me! Don't _kiss_ me again... _He felt his eyes start to sting in frustration. This was so much different from what the elves had put him through. In spite of all of his initial bravado, he honestly wondered how much he could take. If Lezard tried to touch him again, how long would it take before he started to beg?

"Sir Rufus," Lezard said, as he cupped the half-elf's chin in his hand. "If you let me speak to Lenneth, then I promise that the very first homunculus I make with a beautiful, whole face will be in the form of your dearest princess. A very cute one, that would be, wouldn't it?" He began to laugh boisterously as Rufus's face flared with anger.

"Don't you dare!" he shouted, spitting with the words. "I won't let you--I won't let you _defile_ her that way!"

"Oh, you won't _let_ me?" Lezard answered in amusement. "And just what will you do to stop me?" He chuckled again, giving Rufus's face a pat like one might to a child's, adding humiliation to everything else.

Rufus once again felt Lenneth pull at his soul. He was so eager to get away from Lezard that he allowed her to do take him. _Just sleep_, she said. He hid in the corner space of his own mind, thanking her for the wonderful buffer that it put between his body and mind.

Lezard's eyes sparkled with admiration and love as Lenneth's consciousness reclaimed the body which held it. She watched him calmly, her mouth frozen into a flat line. "There you are, Lenneth," he sighed in the greatest relief. "I've missed you." The way that he said these words was so strangely normal that even Lenneth was shocked a bit, but knew better than to show it. "My heart is aching for you, but I simply cannot rush my work. Nor can I rush to hold you and touch you, my love..." Even as he said this, his hand gently caressed the side of her vessel's face, still just as smooth as it had been weeks ago thanks to the Ring of Mylinn's ability to halt age.

"You dislike Sir Rufus's body," Lenneth said, summing him up as she stared directly into his eyes. "You regret letting yourself go earlier, don't you?"

Lezard smiled. "You've got me," he said, and dropped the hand which caressed her to his side in defeat. "It took quite a while to get the taste out of my mouth. So unlike me... It proves the effect that you have on my heart, does it not?" He smiled with lovesick sweetness as he stared into her eyes. "Thank you for granting me the opportunity to speak with you once more. You see, I'm not such an animal if you cooperate with me."

_It's almost like his feelings are genuine, _Rufus thought aloud. _That makes it all the more disturbing doesn't it? I can understand torturing someone you lust after, but to hurt someone he __**loves**__ the way that he's hurt you? _

"Lezard," she replied, without responding to Rufus. He wasn't quite as adept with keeping his thoughts quiet while he was inside. They were so random and loud that she had to filter them out. She focused her attention entirely on Lezard. "What you feel is not love."

His eyes lost their boyish glimmer and took on the ravenous and cruel look that she knew suited him more. "How dare you lecture me on love," he hissed. "You, who cannot even understand what you are."

"To love and to conquer are not at all the same," Lenneth continued, despite the growl rising in Lezard's throat as his shoulders arched in anger.

"It is the same between _us_," Lezard said in a voice that was still surprisingly calm, but rough like the growl of a feral animal. "If I were to confess my love to you, to win worlds for you, to do nothing but give and give my heart and my soul, you still would nary cast your eyes upon me, a lowly mortal. You do not understand words, fair valkyrie; but power and struggle are languages that you do speak. You only answer to those who dominate you, to those that control you. Am I any different from Odin or any of the other gods for wanting to rule you?" After saying all of this, he relax and smiled once more. "Oh," he sighed as he lifted his hand to touch her face once more. "And I will. I will be your master."

He leaned towards her, and brushed the ragged and tangled strands of green away from her vessel's face. "I will treat you better than he does," he cooed to her softly. She felt Rufus's body involuntarily shiver as warm breath blew into against his rather sensitive ears. "You will not be my servant, but my queen. I will treat you with the dignity that you deserve, and I will place you at the highest ranks of the gods where you belong. When I am god, I will return the Dragon Orb to Midgard. I will let the lowly humans serve themselves. I would even grant your sisters freedom, to suit your desires. I would even let Sir Rufus here go free, cured of his curse, to rejoin that dull-minded princess in Dipan, if that is what you asked of me."

She watched as he made these promises calmly, smiling affectionately, all while still touching her with a gentle caress. "And all I want," he sighed dreamily, "is for you to worship me."

Lenneth watched him silently for a moment that lingered on. The homunculus pinning Rufus's arms and legs uncomfortably aside shifted slightly, but gave not a bit of slack. She observed Lezard carefully as his eyes broke from hers and traveled down the naked and prone body of her host. His lips curled downward in disgust as he looked a bit too long at the homunculi's well-copied slender legs hooked in a contortion around Rufus's thighs, spreading them a part. He covered his face with his hand. "Why couldn't this half-elf just have been female?" he sighed to himself, ruing his fate. "It would save me so much trouble."

Even though the male aspects of Rufus's body seemed to displease him, he placed his hand on one of its hips, at the slender curve just under his waist which had decreased in width a great deal thanks to the poor meals he had been fed.

Rufus's voice bubbled up from his subconscious uncontrollably along with fear and loathing, bitter like bile. _Please, don't... _

Lenneth felt his eyes burn, tears forming. "Rufus," she said in a soft and sympathetic tone.

Quickly Lezard's hand shot from Rufus's waist to his neck and squeezed down on his throat hard. Lenneth sputtered and coughed. "Do not speak to him with such kindness you can never afford for me!" he shouted in a rage, and then let her go.

Though she was racked with pain, the rush of relief from Rufus was enough that she was glad she had slipped and spoken to him. After great effort was taken to regain her normal breathing, she looked once more to Lezard. He was watching her with a shameful expression in his eyes. "I don't want to communicate with you this way," he said. His voice was weak, almost a whimper. "I want you to hear me, to love me."

"I will never love you," Lenneth said in her cold and calm tone. "Even if you become a god, even if you take the body I inhabit, I will never be yours because I will never love you."

She waited in the silence that followed to gauge his reaction. Rufus also waited, wondering if that was the thing that would throw him over the edge. But no, Lezard merely recovered his usual mocking grin and chuckled. "That's what makes it so much fun, is it not?" he said. "I would be disappointed if you could just give me your love. Oh, I will work for it... but in the end it will be mine. You will be mine."

He reached out to cup her cheek once more, and brushed her forehead with a chaste kiss. "Good night, my love," he whispered to her. She had no response as he drew away. He stood and headed to the door. Once he was safely out of a distance that Rufus could reach, he snapped his fingers. "Come, Silmeria," he called.

The homunculus's legs and arms snapped away from Rufus's body like machinery. He fell roughly to the ground on his back. It lurched back out of the room in the same lifeless manner it had entered, and the door slammed shut and locked into place. Rufus and Lenneth were once again alone together in the pitch black.

_I'm weak,_ Rufus said. _I'm sorry._

"No," Lenneth replied. "This darkness... after seeing that monstrocity's face... it moves even myself to shake in fear of the abyss. Do not be ashamed."

_Not only that_, he replied. _I'm afraid of him. I don't want to be. I know he's just a little snot-nosed pissant, but I can't take it. If he touches me again--I just can't take it._

"My feelings are similar in that regard," Leneth replied. "However... we cannot be moved to show fear. If he learns that what you fear is his touch, then you can be certain that he will use it to break you. He wants you to crumble... it will make his work easier."

Rufus was almost afraid to ask. _What... work?_

"The work of extracting me from your body and soul," she answered.

_This will sound stupid coming from me_, Rufus said with a chuckle that sparkled inside of her. She was amazed with his ability to maintain a humorous outlook, that he could use it to cope with his agony. _It's ridiculous because I have always loathed and feared being used as a vessel by a god. I thought that Alicia had it so bad... but I've gotten kind of used to you, Lenneth. I really... don't know if I want you to leave. I'd almost prefer it if you stayed._

"My line of work is not for you," she replied. "You are better suited to the role of Einherjar. But perhaps... I could make you one, once we are separated. It will be very similar to this, then."

_Really?_

"I hope that my Einherjar were somehow transferred," she said, sadly. "To this Asgard or back to my world or even to the cycle of rebirth--to any place but that abyss."

_I'm sure they were, _Rufus said to reassure her. _Human souls are pretty resilient.  
_

"In return for their service, I will grant my Einherjar a favor." She smiled as she said this and closed her eyes. "What is it that you will wish for?"

_Uh..._ he mumbled. Lenneth felt the amazingly warm and comforting sensation that often accompanied imagery within his mind of the princess, Silmeria's vessel. Two vessels with an affinity for each other, she thought. What a trick of fate that was. _I just want Alicia and Silmeria to be happy and safe somewhere together.  
_

"Very well," she replied. "But now... let us rest."

Rufus agreed to that, slipping into a deep sleep blanketed by Lenneth's presence. She hesitated to infringe on that border between what was he and what was she, but his dreams were fascinating to her. In this terrible place, most of them were dark and disturbing, but occasionally there was a brightly shining fragment of the happiness within him reflecting his experiences traveling alongside her younger sister.


	4. Purse the Awful Mystery

**Title:** Vessel of the Gods (Chapter 3)  
**Author: **FridayFrige  
**Rating:** No mature content in this chapter, really!  
**Pairing:**RufusxAlicia is more evident in this one.  
**Synopsis:** Alicia spends a day in the kind of life that she would most like to live, but tears herself away in her pursuit of Rufus and Lenneth.

**Chapter 4: Purse the Awful Mystery**

The land in the region beyond the forest Alicia passed through the night before was normally pleasantly picturesque. Now, instead, the trees that dotted the land in patches were losing their leaves without even bursting into the glorious golds and reds of autumn. The frost that fell last night and persisted through the day had ruined the foliage that had been at full bloom. It was the end of spring, and time for flowers and green things to grow.

Instead, the ground crunched as Alicia walked over a patch of brittle, frost-covered grass that grew in the dirt road she walked along. She was a small girl, and even the muscle tone that had grown over her skinny frame was not enough to keep her from shivering.

"When will the cold stop?" she asked Silmeria. "I thought that the destruction would be a bit more gradual than this..."

_It is unusually cold today, but I don't think that the summer warmth will be returning soon_, the voice within her answered.

"If I could just hope to wake up tomorrow without seeing my breath, that would be wonderful..."

She looked up at the horizon and saw a plume of smoke piping from someone's chimney against the white backdrop of the overcast sky above. Her face lit up with a smile. Finally, a house! She wondered if its inhabitants owned this farmland.

With renewed energy in her steps, she made her way to the house as fast as she could. Soon she could see its humble walls of brick and clay, and its widows with the shutters pulled closed to conserve warmth inside.

She walked down a small straw-covered path, noting the remains of wilted flowers in planters decorating its sides, to the front door and knocked on it with her hand. Soon, she heard the footsteps of someone heavy walking on wooden floorboards from inside. The door cracked open just a sliver. She found it odd for common folk this far out of the way to be so suspicious. A single eye peered out at her, belonging to a middle-aged man with a great, bushy beard. When his sights laid upon her, his expression grew to one of pleasant surprise and the door threw open altogether.

"Ah, what have we here?" he greeted her, holding out his hand. "A female traveler, all by herself?"

"That's me," Alicia responded with a smile and took his hand daintily. "My name is Alicia. I was wondering if you have any space you might lend to me for the night? I will pay you adequately, of course."

"Oh, Certainly, Miss Alicia," he said. "We would be glad to rent some space out to you. Our crops are shot for this season, and every OTH we can make on the side is a blessing."

_Tell him in that case that well pay him 500 OTH for a room and a meal_, Silmeria suggested.

"How about 500 for a place to sleep and a bite to eat?" Alicia suggested in a meek tone, pressing the tips of her index fingers together. "If that isn't enough, I'll understand... food must be precious right now."

"Oh, we've got plenty to eat to hold us through some fluke cold season," he laughed. "Leave nothing to the gods that you cannot do yourself, that's what I say. We keep ourselves prepared for a dead season. Your offer is a generous amount, and I'll gladly take it!" He held out his hand to her again to shake on their agreement. It was big and muscular, which reminded her all at once of her father. She tried to suppress the feeling that welled up as she took it and shook in with a smile. "My name is Arman," he said. "Come on in, and let me take your cloak for you."

She took his offer and entered the humble residence. Inside the front door was a common room with a large fireplace burning brightly. Alicia sighed as the warm air hit her skin. There were two women sitting around it on large pillows, one old enough to be her grandmother, and the other not much older than herself. The furniture was scarce, but materials for their crafts were scattered all around. The elderly one was knitting, and the other was cutting a tanned hide of some sort. Both looked up in curiosity as she entered.

"This is my mother, Gerabelle," he said, gesturing to the older woman, "And this is my daughter-in-law, Marienne," he said of the other. "And ladies, this is Alicia. She's going to be staying with us tonight."

"Ah, goodness," the elderly woman said in a rustic accent as she began to rise from her seat. "Let me clean up this awful mess. We ain't fit for visitors just now, I hope ye don't mind."

"Oh no, please ma'am," Alicia pleaded, and bowed respectfully. "Just pretend that I am not here. All I really require is a corner to sleep in and a little bit of food. I don't eat much."

"Nonsense," she answered, and began to pick up her yarns and fabrics. "I'm not too old to clean up for a guest, my goodness!"

With that, she picked up her things and made her way up the stairs that led to the second floor, where Alicia guessed the rooms are. _ Let them treat you if it makes them feel better_, Silmeria advised her. _500 OTH is a large amount to these people._

"Come sit with me," the younger woman offered kindly, giving a pat to one of the cushions laid out around the fire. "You must be tired."

Alicia was exhausted, and gladly took the seat. "Thank you," she said, and sat on the pillow seat. She watched the woman as she began to sew the hide into the shape of a glove. She was creating a water-proof glove from scratch, Alicia marveled. Oh, how she would love to learn to be of such use. She began to fidget a bit as she sat there idly, though only a few seconds had passed. "So, you are married?" she asked, attempting small-talk.

"Why yes," the young woman giggled. "My husband, Rene, and his little brother are out trying to salvage whatever they can from the fields right now."

Arman came and sat down as well. He was an enormous man, built of muscle except for a bit of plumpness at his belly which illustrated the success of his farm. He obviously ate well. "I told them to just forget it, but they're stubborn," he said, as he returned to a pipe left burning neck to the fireplace. He gave it a long puff. Alicia smelled its sweet flavor and felt instantly relaxed in spite of everything. "We just have to be thankful that some of the crops haven't sprung yet, and hope that the weather clears up before they do."

Alicia smiled. "I'm sure that the weather will return to normal soon," she said. It would, because she would reclaim the Dragon Orb and make Midgard right again.

There was a patter of feet through another door beyond a second room in the back, and suddenly a little girl of but five years of age at best sprinted into the living room. She was dressed in heavy garments even for it being chilly out, with gloves, earmuffs, and a hooded cloak over her dress. "Mommy, it's too cold to play outside," she complained in a small voice, throwing off her gloves. Then she looked up and realized that there was a stranger in the room. Quickly she ducked behind her mother, the young lady that had greeted Alicia in such a friendly manner.

"This is Miss Alicia," the mother explained in a pleasant tone, as she peeked over her shoulder at the foreigner. Alicia giggled at the small, black-haired and blue-eyed girl. She was delicate and lithe like her mother, but contrasted her in color. Marienne had golden blonde hair pulled up onto her head that put Alicia's fallow locks to shame.

"Pleased to meet you," she said, smiling warmly to the little girl. "What is your name?"

"Shea," the little girl replied, taking several tiny steps around her mother, inching into sight. She looked down and held her hands in front of her sheepishly, rocking to the right and left nervously.

Alicia heard a young man's voice next. It was the scratchy sound of a boy who had not yet entirely reached adulthood. "Shea, where did you go?" he asked, then wandered into the common room. Alicia looked up and saw a small youth of roughly fourteen or fifteen years with sandy brown hair and the same bright blue eyes as the little girl. He stopped in place as his eyes fell on his visitor. "Who... who is this?" he asked, wide-eyed.

Arman chuckled at the boy's obviously smitten expression. "Lady Alicia," he said. "She's a traveler who will be staying with us tonight."

"Oh," he sighed, eyes still fixed on Alicia. Then, as if the idea of manners came crashing back into his head all at once, he stammered and bowed deeply. "H-how rude of me! I am the second son, Gene!"

"Rene and Gene?" Alicia giggled. Then she saw how the boy's face blushed in embarrassment and felt awful for teasing him. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude, not you." She stood up and bowed to them all. "A pleasure to meet you. Please, don't let me be a burden to any of you."

"Please, sit!" Gene insisted. "Where's Grandma?"

"Off making a fuss," his sister-in-law replied.

"I'll go help her!" he declared. "Not to make a fuss, I mean! Uh... don't you believe we should give her my room?"

Arman sighed in dismay at his son's woefully awkward behavior. "Just go on," he groaned.

"Yes sir!" And with that, young Gene was up the stairs after his grandmother in a flash of his earthy-colored tunics, most likely sewn by one of the ladies in the house for him.

At this point, the little girl had grown a bit more outgoing. "What's that?" she asked, pointing at Alicia's sword.

"That's a sword, of course," her mother replied. "Silly! You've seen one before."

"Not a real pretty one," she replied in her defense. Then she looked at Alicia again. "What's that?" she asked, pointing at the blue gem set at her neck.

"Stop asking questions like that," Marienne shushed her. "Why don't you ask her something polite, like I taught you?"

"Um..." the girl began, trying to remember what exactly that was. "Oh... where are you from?"

"Dipan," Alicia replied, unable to keep the deep remorse and sadness from tinging her voice. The young mother saw this and Alicia knew that she must have heard of Dipan's demise. Her eyes cast aside. The little girl was only more interested, however.

"Are you a princess?" she asked excitedly.

"What?" Marienne chuckled, then looked up at Alicia. "Please forgive her," she laughed. "She's never seen a young woman as nicely dressed as yourself."

"It's fine," Alicia replied with a smile. "No, I'm not a princess," she answered to the little girl.

It wasn't a lie. Alicia no longer considered herself a princess. In order to be royalty, one had to have a country and subjects remaining. Dipan was gone. Its subjects had fled. The crown of her father safely hidden in her pouch was the only evidence left that she had ever been Princess Alicia, the beloved and yet tragically cursed daughter of Dipan, for whom so many other young girls had been named.

- - -

Dinner was served soon after darkness fell. Rene, the father of Shea and wife of Marienne, returned from the fields just as his wife and his grandmother were setting out the food in the kitchen behind the common room. Alicia discovered where Shea's dark hair had come from. His was just as ebony black. The other members of the family took their seats, adding a new chair and shifting everyone else around accordingly. Alicia was honored by the invitation she received to sit at their table, as if she were a member of their family.

She was seated between Shea, who was still quiet and shy, but had grown an unyielding fascination with Alicia, princess or no; and the young boy who she learned was actually fifteen, but still hadn't grown up like a stalk as boys normally did at that age. He, too, was fascinated with the visitor, and could be found catching glances at her whenever he believed no one was watching.

Soon the food was served. Some of the vegetables served were a way from ripe, but had to be pulled when they were, or they would be entirely ruined. The plants they sprouted from were dead. Others were not too fresh, having been dried and saved for this hard season. Alicia thought that the cooks had compensated for this rather nicely, and ate her share hungrily. She listened quietly as the others conversed.

"So, do you believe me now when I tell you it's useless to break your back all day like that when you lose a crop?" the head of the family, Arman, said in a patronizing voice full of humor.

Rene, the father, was a handsome man with the same black hair as Shea. "I saved enough to feed us for a while at least, didn't I?" he countered.

"Yeah, but what if that cold of yours develops into pneumonia?" the father replied, adding to the argument. "What would we do with you laid out? You're the work horse of this family, don't you forget."

"Oh, you and Marienne never _let_ me forget," he chuckled.

"Don't bore Alicia with your squabbles and talk of weeds and crops," Marienne interjected before her husband drug her into the argument, which was really no more than play.

"Say, Miss Alicia," Rene said in an affable tone. Alicia looked up and met his smile. "Why don't you tell us something of your travels?"

"Oh, I'm not very good at telling stories," Alicia said meekly, stirring her peas with her fork carved from wood.

_Tell them something_, Silmeria said to her. _Anything from our travels that isn't dangerous to mention._

Alicia thought on that. It was hard to look back on her journey and remember anything that didn't fill her with pain now, after all that had happened. She decided to chose something funny and random, and this of course led her to think of Rufus.

"I went to the Crawsus Forest once," Alicia said, remembering it fondly with a bittersweet smile. "It rained there constantly due to an undead spirit that cursed the land. My friends and I got rid of it, though. But you see, in that place, there were these markers that would catch the lightning," She began to laugh softly before getting to the appropriate part of the story. She sometimes wondered if Rufus was as thoughtless as he let on, or if sometimes he did things like this purposely just for her to smile.

"One of my comrades is always being picked on because he slacks off, she explained. "He constantly gets himself into trouble... and on this occasion, he was just leaning against the marker paying no attention at all, when all of the sudden... zap!" She giggled to herself as she remembered how high in the air Rufus had jumped. "It made his hair stand on end, like when you walk on a carpet with socks on, you know? He had this tick for a while too, like a nervous twitch."

The others at least smiled at this tale, and some of them even laughed. The little girl, Shea, was pealing giggles at the thought of a man's hair standing up.

Gene did not laugh, he was too fascinated by the other elements of the story. "Wow," he gasped in utter amazement. "Are you a mercenary?"

"Oh my," Alicia answered, blushing at such attention being showered on her. "No, I am not a mercenary by trade, we were..."

_Treasure hunters, _Silmeria suggested. _ Innocent adventurers._

"We were adventurers, just looking for a little treasure in the line of doing something good for the area," she said. It was almost true... except for that the Dragon Orb was no _little_ treasure.

"Where might your friends be now?" Arman asked her. "Even if you are skilled and strong, it's dangerous for a lady to travel alone."

"We were separated," Alicia explained, trying not to show her sorrow--her hopelessness. She must have failed, she realized, because the entire table fell silent. They knew she was from Dipan, and they knew what had happened in Dipan. They were all trying to avoid the subject for her sake. What kind hearted and wonderful people they all were, she thought. "I'm trying to find them right now," she said, forcing some cheer back into her voice. "I'm hoping that they passed this way!"

"Oh, good for you," Marienne said. "I d hope that you find them."

Alicia's part for the rest of the dinner was mostly played as a listener. After the meal, in honor of their guest, the ladies of the house presented them each with a small sugar treat. It was simple crystal candy with a bit of flavor added, but Shea was excited beyond words. Alicia ate hers slowly, savoring the flavor. She found it to be both sweet and spicy with some sort of flavor foreign to her, but akin to cinnamon.

After these were all gone and the table was clean, it was time for Shea to go to bed. Her parents turned in as well, eager to call it a day after such work an excitement. Alicia wondered if she, too, should head to the room they had so graciously prepared for her, but Arman addressed her instead.

"Alicia, would you mind sitting with me for a while longer?" he asked, as he stood from his chair. "Let us retire to the living room."

"Certainly," Alicia replied.

"C-can I come?" Gene asked sheepishly.

"No, off to bed with you," he said. "You'll be sleeping with your niece while Alicia stays in your room."

Gene pouted and shuffled his feet as he obeyed. "Yes sir," he said, and walked out of the kitchen. Just before leaving, he turned back and gave Alicia a smile. "Good night, miss Alicia."

"You too," she replied with a small wave just before the shy boy skittered away from the room.

"Mother," he said, looking up to the elderly woman who was still cleaning the kitchen even at this hour. "Please stop working so hard. Alicia isn't going to be offended by a few plates left out overnight."

"You don't tell me when to stop working," she snapped back in reply. "I raised you, I'll still be rasing you until I'm dead an' in the ground."

He sighed in defeat. "Very well then."

Alicia smiled, bowing respectfully to the old woman in thanks. She knew that to persuade her further would be received more as an offense than as politeness. Arman led her to the living room where he sat, and his younger son went to his side, resting on his knees. After beckoning her with a gesture of his hand to sit, he went back to smoking his pipe again.

"Is there something you'd like to ask me about?" she asked, as he puffed a small cloud of the richly scented smoke.

"Aye," he said. "Miss Alicia, your story surprised me. I would never have guessed that such a pretty young lady was involved in such a dangerous profession."

"I'm stronger than I look on the outside," Alicia said, smiling. She was stronger on the inside, all right; stronger because of Silmeria. "It is difficult for me to do much right now, without my companions, but when they were with me, I had no trouble at all."

"I hope that you can find them," he said. "If not... please consider coming back here. I can tell by the look in your eyes that you'd prefer a simple life."

"I would!" Alicia replied with in a gasp. "You are so kind... I am honored! You would really take in someone like me?"

He nodded. "Yes, I met my wife on the road, bless her soul. Rene's wife used to be a traveling merchant's daughter. We meet so few people out here on the fringe of civilization, that I can't turn simply allow someone as beautiful and kind-hearted as you to pass us by without leaving the offer open."

"I can't believe how generous you are," she sighed. "But I have my reasons, please believe me. I don't believe that I could marry your son at any rate."

"All right," he chucked. "Don't blame me for trying. That boy Gene will never find a wife if I don't put some effort in when I can."

Alicia laughed softly. "He's a sweet boy," she said.

"It sounds like you're already involved with your companions," he replied. "Perhaps I can help you? Everyone bound for Flenceburg comes this way."

"I'm looking for a young man," Alicia said. "You would know him if you saw him, because he has long, green hair, believe it or not."

"Green hair, you say?" he replied, shocked.

Hope filled Alicia's heart as she saw his eyes light up in recognition. "Yes, why?"

He took his pipe from his mouth and his expression grew grave and thoughtful. "Just few days ago, I saw something strange. You might remember that I was hesitant to open the door when you came. It's because only days earlier, a carriage passed through here, while I was working in the field. It was covered, but I stole a glance inside. There was a person with long hair riding within it, and I thought I was crazy, but I was sure that she had long hair, green as trees in summertime."

"She?" Alicia asked. "Are you sure?"

"No," he replied. "I only assumed it was a woman, now that I think about it, because I saw was that long hair... and, well... his or her hands were held up to the window of the carriage, and there was a chain wrapped around them. Whoever it was had either just been bought or was going to be sold as a slave. I've only ever heard of female slaves, although... I suppose one could just as easily enslave a man."

"It must be Rufus," Alicia said, not to her generous host, but to Silmeria. She stood to her feet, heart racing.

_Calm down,_ Silmeria responded.

"I'm sorry," Alicia cried as she made her way to the door. Arman rose in alarm as she grabbed for her cloak. "I must go immediately! I have to save him!"

"Wait," Arman insisted, "it's like the dead of winter out there! At least wait until morning!"

Silmeria agreed, keeping her voice cool and level. _Listen to him._

"I can't!" Alicia replied. "I can't stand by while I finally know where he is!"

She pulled the door open furiously. The night air swept in, bringing with it snowflakes that floated to the floor and melted into wet droplets against the warm wooden boards. Snow, when it was almost summer? This startled even her, and she stopped still.

_You'll never make it to Flenceburg at night_, Silmeria said to her. _You will freeze to death._

"I have to!" Alicia shouted. "I finally know where he is, I have to go, and now!" She began to push out into the cold.

The farmer watched as Alicia's body shook and then became strangely rigid. Her arms dropped o her sides. Then she raised one hand calmly and shut the door.

_Silmeria, let me go!_ Alicia demanded from within herself.

Silmeria did not, and merely turned to Arman with an apologetic expression. "I am sorry," she said, bowing and doing her best to imitate Alicia. Their host, thankfully, failed to notice the subtle change in her posture as well as her voice. "You are right, I shouldn't be so hasty. I'm just so worried about my friend."

Arman smiled. "I understand," he said. "You must love him."

_Love?_ Alicia was unable to keep from saying it on a level where Silmeria could hear it. She did love Rufus, it was true. She loved Dylan too, and had loved Leone very much. Even Arngrim and Lezard had earned a bit of love from her heart.

"He is very important to me," Silmeia replied. "I must leave as soon as the sun rises tomorrow."

"Then you had best sleep," Arman replied, and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "Go on upstairs. Gene's room is prepared for you."

Silmeria finally released Alicia from her hold. Instead of struggling, Alicia's shoulders slumped and she allowed herself to be led away.

- - -

The bed belonging to the shy young man was made of straw and the feathers of birds from his family's livestock. It was soft and comforting, better than some inns that she had stayed in along the course of her travels. The blankets held the strange and yet undeniably comforting scent of another person. Maybe she was imagining it, but she thought that it smelled similar to Rufus's own scent, one which had enveloped her only on a few rare occasions. All of those times it had been the last thing on her mind, but either she retained the memory subconsciously as people often do with smells, or she had only invented this notion in her strong wish to finally be closer to finding him.

She knew that there was no way that she could sleep. Each time she tried to clear her head, her imagination's wicked illustrations of Rufus being chained up and used for gods knew what kind of experiments at the hands of Lezard flashed in front of her eyes. She thought of him being forced to share his body with that other valkyrie--that one she did not know. If it were Silmeria, she could rest easy. She even doubted that Hrist would be so cold as to threaten Rufus's soul... it was only human life that she was unconcerned about. But this _Lenneth_, she had no idea how _she_ would treat Rufus. What if she took possession of his body with no regards for his wishes? What if he was trapped not only in a physical prison, but within his own body as well?

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes as she thought of how hard she had tried to free herself and free Rufus too from the fate that they shared. _You have it way worse than I do_, she remembered him saying. "No I don't," she whimpered under her blankets. "At least I have a soul that's free even if my body is not..."

_Alicia,_ Silmeria crooned softly. _ You feel so sorry for him that you're working yourself into tears. Stop it. _

"I know, but I can't _help_ it," she struggled to say, fighting a sob. "I wanted to help him, and he was going to help me, and we were going to get free together..."

_And you will_, Silmeria assured her. _You will, but it will be difficult. It will be painful for both you and him. But do not worry yourself so much... Lenneth is noble and true. Though loyal to the gods, she cares for her Einherjar just as I do. She allows them their right to choice. She will not bring harm to Rufus for her own sake, just as I would never want to harm you, Alicia._

"Are you sure?" Alicia whispered as her tears cleared up.

_I am certain. _

Alicia wiped her eyes and turned over underneath the warm blankets. "Okay," she said. "I suppose I'll have to rest in order to save him. I need my strength."

_Yes,_ Silmeria agreed. Just focus on something that makes you happy. _Try to remember all of those times that Rufus did something foolish, or when jokes were made at his expense. Remember those things that made you laugh and focus on them. Sleep will come._

Alicia did as she was instructed. She began to recall Rufus pointing wildly, almost dancing in excitement, calling everyone's attention to what he thought must surely be the Dragon Orb. It was revealed to be only a seal stone, but the moment was engraved into her memory nonetheless. The memory Silmeria's tone, almost teasing, as she berated Rufus made her giggle to herself even as she fell to sleep.

All the while, she could almost feel a gentle hand rest upon her head. It was as if Silmeria was petting her hair, comforting her, and easing her sorrows.

- - -

Flenceburg was just a day's and a night's travel from the farm by cart. Alicia was finally blessed with a stroke of luck as one passed her on her way early in the morning. Arman and the others had sent her off with a breakfast and their best wishes. She attributed her good fortune to this alone.

Though it was cold out and small patches of snow remained on the ground for a few hours even after the sun rose high into the sky, the day was a long early summer one. It made the length of the trip bearable. Alicia simply could not be persuaded to make camp and press on the next day, she continued throughout the night even after the cart stopped. Its owner was perplexed by this, but she pushed on.

The night was not as cold as the previous one, and so Silmeria allowed this despite her initial disapproval. Alicia promised her that she had slept on the cart and that she had the strength to reach the city, and she proved herself correct. She arrived in Flenceburn early the next morning.

_Promise me that you will rest now_, Silmeria said.

"Yes, I will," Alicia responded, and looked for a place to rest. She wished not to check into an inn, and to be on her feet after a few hours, just the barest minimum that she required. Rufus was depending on her, he needed her. She had to reach him as soon as possible. However, with only the vague hint that he had come to this city, there was little she could do until her mind was sharp enough to focus.

She found a quiet park where the sun shone warmly down into the soft grass, melting and evaporating the frost. Perhaps it was getting warmer after all. She laid down in the warm golden rays of the sun, confident that Silmeria would alert her if anyone came near. No one would think much of a traveler napping in a courtyard, she hoped. She was so tired from her travels that even her fears and the desperation of her mission could not keep her awake.

- - -

_Rufus, I have a gift for you_, said Lenneth, as Rufus laid on his side, aching and unable to sleep despite the crippling exhaustion he felt from his latest encounter with his keeper, the homunculi in the form of Silmeria. He would almost rather have the other thing, but at least "Silmeria" remembered to feed him on time. She even cleaned the waste he expelled as per her masters orders so that his cell was a bit more hospitable, although that was like saying Gyne was a bit prettier than Walther. They were both ugly as sin.

"A gift?" Rufus chuckled hoarsely. "Is it my birthday?"

_You asked me if I dream_, she went on. He felt something tickle within him, and almost wanted to say that it was a twinge of excitement. Did she really want to make him happy? Was she really so pleased to find something that might comfort him? It made him intensely curious. _I do not, but I have just discovered something. While my sister is conscious in this same world, I am capable of sharing a bit of her consciousness. We are reflections of the same spirit, you see. When Silmeria and I are both dormant, in a state of sleep, I think for a moment that I saw her..._

"You saw Silmeria?" Rufus asked, wondering how that was supposed to be a present.

_The princess_, she corrected him. _They are still together, and they are safe. If you would like to come here, I may be able to show you._

Rufus closed his eyes and tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his body. He allowed himself to sink deep down, and Lenneth to float up. For a brief instant, he thought that he met her, as if they passed through each other for a millisecond, a span of time undetectable to the human mind.

He saw a place where sunlight fell to the earth in sparkling beams, and where wind swept gently through and the air--just chill enough to prevent the sunshine from being overbearingly hot. He could almost fill his lungs with the fresh air, the first of the sort he had experienced in gods knew how long now.

There, Alicia laid sleeping in a bed of soft grass that brushed against the exposed skin of her slender legs. Strands of her hair fell over her face and danced on her breath, tickling her nose. She was in too deep a sleep to be threatened by such gentle disturbances. He saw this for only that minute flash, so short that it was almost imperceivable, but enough to be considered a treasure as great as the Dragon Orb or Gungnir.

_If only I could tell her to stay there, not to come looking for me..._

"Silmeria is stubborn," Lenneth said. "I suppose Alicia is, as well...?"

_Very stubborn, _Rufus said, and his rich laughter echoed against the walls of his mind. _Thank you, Lenneth..._


	5. Turning Back is a Mistake

**Title:**Vessel of the Gods (Chapter 5)  
**Author:**FridayFrige  
**Rating:**This chapter contains a little violence, but not much.  
**Pairing:**Haha... ot3 forming? Or OT4... 5, 6, 7??  
**Synopsis:**Alicia's quest for Rufus leads her to cross paths with a woman whom she is most certainly fated to encounter, despite the disturbance in time. One more OC in this chapter, but nobody important. Sorry.

**edit:** (1/9/08) I edited the chapter for mistakes!

**Chapter 5: Turning Back is a Mistake**

There was a loud clank followed by a continuous _clink-a-clink-a-clink_ as the newest visitor to Lezard's tower began to sway where she stood. The floor in the strange little chamber she had been led into was moving swiftly upward, and Lezard watched in amusement as the fluctuation of the elevator's force caused her to panic. Still, the elf remained silent.

"Do not worry," Lezard said to her. "I've gone through so much trouble to get one of you dolls into my possession that I won't be doing anything rough. That makes you luckier than many who have come before you... or perhaps I should say _after_ you, seeing as this is the past. You can attribute this to the fact that humans are impossible to trust with anything of value." He shrugged and gave a dismayed sigh. "Other than the one who brought _you_ here, my associates have either perished in the Forest of Spirits, or they have decided to keep their charges for themselves. I promise them so much for their services, and yet they betray me and earn my punishment instead. The folly..."

He glanced to the elf who remained silent. She cast her eyes aside and sneered bitterly.

"Ah, but elves and gods are just the same as men," Lezard chuckled. "Too proud to cooperate with the likes of me, are you? I hope that you'll learn to judge others more carefully."

The elevator came to a halt, and the door opened with another clank. He led his new test subject out of the car. They were on a level of the tower outfitted with jail cells. Silmeria was waiting for him there, ready to handle this elf if she were to get feisty.

The elf started in horror, recognizing the homunculus for what it took the shape of, a valkyrie. "What manner of creature is this?" she spat, recoiling as Silmeria clamped her hands around the elf's arms and forced her into a cell.

"You needn't know," he replied, not at all interested in this one for anything more than materials to speed the process of creating a perfect homunculi. He had asked for a pretty one--a beautiful elf that might make a suitable vessel for Lenneth if Rufus's body were to give out, or if the fool decided to kill himself; but what he looked upon angered him as he thought of gracing it with his most prized possession--Lenneth's soul. The elf was muscular and had thick shoulders and arms. Her face had hard edges, and her eyebrows were thick. Her hair was long like most elves' were, but it was thin and her hairline was high upon her head.

"Ugliest elf I've ever seen," he muttered to Silmeria. The homunculi turned its head up and then down again, as if to nod in agreement. Lezard pushed up his glasses and sighed. "I dare say that even Sir Rufus is far more suiting to Lenneth than this elfin wench." Yes, at least with a stretch of imagination, that body could almost pass as beautiful when it was lit up with Lenneth's spirit... "No," he reprimanded himself, shaking his head. The thought of what he had done disgusted him even though it had felt undeniably good at the time. He had kissed Lenneth... _Lenneth_. Even through another person's lips, that was a fine thing to claim.

"But no..." he said again. Silmeria examined him curiously with the lifeless crimson points of light that served as her eyes as he reaffirmed his decision. "Even if it would be Lenneth in reality, taking her in _that_ body or _this one_ just would not be as satisfying. I'm a patient man, Silmeria." He gave the homunculus a charming grin as he pushed the glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. "I will just have to wait until everything is perfect. I've waited long enough as it is, don't you agree? What more is a week or so?"

The homunculi moaned something hardly intelligible. "Per... fect..."

"Did you say _Rufus_?" the elf woman spat as she threw herself against the locked bars of the cell she had been placed into. "The half-elf? Odin's chosen vessel? You know of him?"

"I said it's none of your concern!" Lezard replied, frustrated with the unsuitable elf, and kicked at the bars. He took a deep breath and threw his arms up, shrugging off his anger with a peal of cackling laughter. "It tickles me that you sound so _worried_ about him," he said. "After all, he's safer here than he is in your forest where you'd sell his soul to Odin! No, allow me to correct myself--it isn't even a matter of bargaining! You elves willingly hand yourselves over, body and soul, without putting up any sort of resistance to the gods. You allowed Odin to choose a human to mate with one of your own, and then sacrificed the child to him without a second thought." He kicked at the bars again, demonstrating just how impossible it was to escape from them by means of pure force. "It might be admirable if you at least despised the gods while you accepted your fate, but to see you serve them with such loyalty, it's disgusting! You're nothing more than dolls to be used and disposed of!"

He began to walk away, still muttering to himself. Silmeria followed faithfully behind him. "And still Lenneth believes that _I_ am the wicked one," he groaned as he stepped with his homunculus into the elevator, running his head. "What have I ever done that the gods she serves have not done to a greater degree of cruelty? Answer me that, Silmeria."

The homunculi was unable to process that question and remained silent, tilting its head and the soul-consuming face it held within it in its confusion.

"Oh, but at least you are not a hypocrite as your sisters are, Silmeria," he said in a truly appreciative tone. "You may be woefully naive and painfully annoying, but at least you were true enough to rebel against the gods. My poor Lenneth is so confused and misled. I find her innocence to their crimes all the more endearing, but it is quite the obstacle! You must help me to enlighten her. Oh... to see her turn against Odin thanks to my gift of knowledge, that will delight me so..."

Lezard looked at his work, the homunculus that appeared to look back at him in admiration with the all-encompassing darkness in its face. He smiled and placed an arm around her shoulder, taking care not to look into her face. "I will be good to you both," he said. "And you will be happy serving us when we are king and queen of the very universe and time itself. Oh, if you would but serve me, you'd find that I'm not such a bad guy!"

The homunculi only groaned a long chord of a flat sound in response; but it sounded pleased.

"How can I convince Lenneth?" he wondered, paying little mind to the homonculi's mindless shuffling. "How can I convince her that I am the very hero that she seeks? I am he who will fight the gods and free Midgard from tyranny! And then, the humans can have this pathetic world to destroy with their own petty wars and squabbles for all that I care. For Lenneth, I shall construct an entirely new one, free of impurities. I will be one with her... I will become creator with her... I will build her a perfect, beautiful world..."

Lezard sighed, lamenting that he could not let himself see her now. Even in Rufus's body, her eyes drove him mad. He longed to make her enjoy his touch--to show her that he could make her feel all the things that he felt if he wanted to--that he could own her just as well as any god. When she glared at him with those eyes of silent fury, with the purity of the hottest white flame, he found himself unable to control his body. He wanted to hear her moan, and as long as it was her voice coming out, the body she inhabited mattered less and less.

But patience was the virtue of any wise man. Lezard had waited this long, had gone this far, had changed time itself in his efforts... he could wait a bit longer. And it would be worth it, to put off that battle until it could be fought with both in their truest element.

He was close now. Just a few more steps, and he would have a perfect vessel, a creature possessing boundless potential and absolute power as well as Lenneth's beauty. He would also give her free will; but regardless of how she willed, he would dominate her as well as that very power.

- - -

"Um... Silmeria?" Alicia said to herself, frowning. "Shouldn't we be looking for Rufus on the bad side of town rather than here?"

_It is the upper class who can afford slaves, isn't it?_ Silmeria replied. _ And it is the upper class who can get away with such a thing, though it isn't currently legal..._

"But we aren't _really_ looking for a slave," Alicia reminded her. "Lezard must have taken Rufus some place to hide him and Lenneth away..."

_Yes, and Flenceburg is full of sorcerers,_ Silmeria responded. _With Dipan defeated, they are now the most powerful center of magical study. Lezard may have accomplices here, people to whom he might promise to share his inhuman knowledge with in return for favors. _

Alicia turned her head all around herself. This part of town was blooming with greenery and flowers even though the cold had ruined everything elsewhere. A pair of children bumbled by chasing a chubby, yapping pup. "The world is deceiving, isn't it?" she sighed.

_Most certainly, _Silmeria answered. _In the lower levels of many of theses houses you would find laboratories, and though most would be upstanding and in accordance with Flenceburgs laws which forbid the research of the ancient magics, there may be one in which you would find Lezard hiding right under the noses of the gods, where they would never look to find him._

"How can I look for him?" she asked. "I can't just barge into all of these homes and ask them if they've got a half-elf tied up in the basement."

_I know. You can start by asking around, but be careful to use the right questions._

"What kind of questions?" Alicia asked. She waited for a moment for her reply, and none came. "Silmeria...?"

_Wait,_ Silmeria said, finally. _Listen. Do you hear that?_

"What?" Alicia replied, and then began to listen carefully. She did hear something, it was like a whisper on the wind. She could not make out the words, but the sound was haunting.

_Walk further down,_ Silmeria instructed. Alicia did so.

The sound of breaths on the air began to form words as Alicia walked further down the street. She could hear them speaking to her in her mind, which scared her. No other voice but Silmeria's should be able to speak to her that way. ._..house at the end of the... _she caught, and another fragment, _...I am here... come, release... me..._

_How quaint, _Silmeria said with a sarcastic bite. _Someone is attempting to hypnotize us._

"Do you think it's a trap?" Alicia replied.

_That was the voice of an elf,_ Silmeria explained. _The one attempting to control us is the prisoner herself._

"No..." Alicia stopped in her tracks and clutched her hand to her heart. "It's not... it isn't Rufus?"

She felt Silmeria's voice rise, along with her frustration. _Don't stop now! We have to save her even if Rufus is elsewhere. We may find a clue!_

"Right," Alicia replied, but her voice faltered even as she picked up her foot to move onward. Not only were Rufus's condition as well as the condition of Midgard itself in desperate danger; she had so wanted to see Rufus's face, to be reunited with one of her friends at last.

The voice came to her again. _...the house... lion..._

"It sounds like she's trying to describe the house we need to find, but I can't make out her voice," Alicia said.

_That's because elves aren't telepathic, their powers are magic charms and nothing more,_ Silmeria explained. _She must force her way into your mind in order to clearly give you a command, but such tricks do not work on gods._

"If you weren't here," Alicia wondered, "what would happen?"

_You just might feel an uncontrollable urge to follow her voice._

"I don't like the idea of that," Alicia answered. She looked around herself as she walked onwards. There were others on the street. In addition to the children and their dog, a woman--most likely a maid and not their mother--was tending to a garden while watching over them. "Why don't they hear it?" Alicia asked. "Why has she chosen me?"

_A trap is one possibility as you pointed out,_ Silmeria answered. _But as always, we must spring it._

"I understand you perfectly," Alicia replied in a tone that was suddenly dark and determined.

At the end of the row of houses, there one that appeared just as unassuming as all of the others. Only one detail made Alicia's heart leap. At the foot of the steps leading up to the front entrance, sitting apart from each other on each side of the stairway, were two lion sculptures.

- - -

Using Silmeria's strength, Alicia kicked down the locked door and barged inside without giving warning to anyone. "Guards, guards!" she heard a maid shouting in fear.

In the swirl of heated emotions before the start of battle, Alicia found herself in the main hall of a mansion. Overhead there was a sparkling chandelier, and two staircases swept down from the upper floor to invite guests. She was not a guest, however; instead, men with swords drawn flooded down from these elegant steps. There were five of them. Their heavy boots rumbled like thunder on the marble floors.

"This is way too much security," Alicia mused, drawing her sword. "They are definitely up to something."

Her sword steadied and jutted forward as Silmeria took her body for a moment. Her voice boomed loudly in the stone and glass corridors. "Those who would escape with their lives may leave in peace!" she shouted as the five readied their weapons. "Those who remain admit their involvement in the heinous deeds committed by their master and shall fall upon my blade!"

_Silmeria, do you really need to kill them?_

Silmeria thrust Alicia back to the fore. _No, but you can't be afraid to if it comes to that, _she answered. _I am sending out Masato to help you._

Alicia was relieved as the mage einherjar's spirit began to take shape by her side. She held her sword firmly in her hands. "I'm ready," she said.

So was the first guard to make his move. All five began to converge on her, giving her no chance to escape. With a flick of her wrist she shot two photons out and instantly switched places with one of the men after encasing him in a crystal. His allies' swords fell on him instead. They started in alarm as they watched their blades strike their own man, but the crystal protected him from sustaining serious injury even as it broke all around him. He fell to the floor unconscious.

His allies were bewildered even more when they realized that there was now a second intruder, one who had formed entirely out of the air. Masato began to cast Frigid Damsel. The ice maiden spirits were released before the guards had time to realize what was going on.

Alicia began to fire more photons, trapping two more in crystals. She had never shot photons at humans before. Fighting against fellow humans wasn't a normal occurrence for her. It surprised her that it was such an effective tool against this type of enemy, since against monsters and spirits it did little more than stun them for a moment. She was reminded of how Rufus had reacted to first seeing it; first with awe and then with annoyed sarcasm.

_Stay focused!_ Silmeria scolded her as the third went astray. One out of the five, thankfully, had been frozen by Masato's spell, which had a similar effect to the photons. It was not a fatal affliction, but it would certainly put the man out of the battle. That left only one to cross swords with Alicia.

She looked into his eyes and saw that he was fiercely determined. He was so bent on killing her, and they had never met before. He was the stronger of the two by far, sending Alicia reeling back as she blocked his first attack. Alicia was quicker on the counterattack than he was on defending however, and she thrust her sword into his body.

He gave a cry and slumped to the ground, sliding from her blade. She gasped and was afraid to look down. Her sword had struck him in the gut. Alicia shook as she saw what she had done. The battle was over. Masato's spirit faded from the field with an honorable bow. Alicia looked at the five unconscious men, including one who was severely wounded. Her hands began to shake.

_He isn't dead,_ Silmeria reassured her. _He collasped purely from the shock... these are not experienced soldiers, obviously. _ _It takes hours for a person to die from a wound like this. Just leave them all here. Someone should come to give them first aid soon enough. _

"If that's what you think is best," Alicia replied.

_Remember, even if they were to die... each of these people has a hand in keeping innocent prisoners._

"I know," Alicia said. "But still.. I'll never get used to killing." With her sword still in hand, she ventured further into the home.

- - -

The house was quiet after that. All of the unarmed servants had run from the home or they were hiding. That meant she had very little time. They would likely return with the authorities.

She passed under the staircase and into a library, wandering aimlessly, trying to find passage into a lower level or something of the like. That voice in the air grew more tangible as she pressed on. _Down_, it said. _Go below._ As she ventured into the room full of books, she heard a door shut behind her. She spun on her heels to face whoever it was with her sword ready to fight.

Just inside the doorway there stood a guard, but his sword was put away and he held his hand up defensively. "Please, I don't mean to fight you," he said.

Alicia relaxed, but knew better than to let her guard down completely. "Who are you?" she asked.

"You should answer me that," he said, and took a few steps nearer. He was tall man who might have been in his forties. His hairline was receding, but otherwise he appeared handsome--not that Alicia noticed such things very often. He had a neatly-trimmed mustache and beard of blonde hair. "If you're here to free that woman from the cellar, then I'll help you."

"I am," Alicia replied. "How do I get to her?"

He nodded and gave her a half-smile. She got the impression that he was pleased to see her, but couldn't bring himself to actually be happy about it. "I didn't think you were any thief," he said. "The entrance is here. You nearly passed it."

He knelt and threw up the beautiful rug that decorated the floor of the library, revealing a door that was very poorly hidden. Alicia laughed awkwardly. "I suppose if I were a thief, I would have figured that one out," she said. The man threw the door open for her, but made no move to go down inside. She looked up at him sheepishly. "Um... won't you just close the door and trap me if I go inside?" she asked him politely as she stared down into the dark cellar.

"Oh yeah, I suppose it would look that way," the man said in an equally polite tone. "My apologies. I shall escort you. Let's keep this quick, though... I can't be caught assisting you."

"Why are you helping me?" Alicia asked him as he went down into the hidden entrance first.

"It has been weighing on my heart ever since my lord brought this woman here," he explained as he stepped onto a set of stairs. "Could you grab a candle or something? It's rather dark..."

"Oh, of course!" Alicia said, and quickly grabbed the first one she saw from a bookshelf and handed to him. He lit it with a match or a flint he pulled out of his pockets--Alicia couldn't see just what it was--and continued on.

"Thank you," he replied. Alicia smiled and stepped in after him, leaving the door open. "I have a daughter about the same age as you are," he explained as he continued down the staircase. "She isn't married yet, and I have a son who is even younger--a wife too, as you might imagine." He gave a short, nervous laugh. "I wanted to free the poor woman, but for their sake, I couldn't jeopardize my job... in exchange for money, I just turned my head the other way. That's horrible isn't it?"

"I don't think it's as bad if you did it for your family," Alicia replied. "And besides... you are helping me now, aren't you?"

"I suppose I am," he sighed. "The others... they had even worse excuses. They said she's an elf and not a human, so it shouldn't really count as slavery. They said she was more like livestock."

Alicia felt her stomach turn. "They didn't use her for... did they?"

"I believe not," he replied in distaste, though he sounded not entirely certain. "No one wants to be cursed by the elves, after all."

As they reached the end of the staircase, Alicia heard a woman's voice calling out. "Help me, _please_ help me," she begged. Now that she was able to hear the voice in person, Alicia thought it sounded much less dark and seductive, and more like the desperate voice of an innocent and scared person.

Alicia ran past her remorseful escort and saw a beautiful green-haired woman sitting on the floor of the dark room surrounded by barrels and tables piled high with books and scientific equipment. It was not only a cellar, but also a laboratory, and--with her here--a jail cell. "Oh, thank you!" she cried with great joy in her voice as Alicia knelt in front of her. Her arms and legs were bound. "I thought that no one would come," she said. "I thought that even if a human heard me, they would never come to free an elf."

"Here's the key," the man said, and tossed Alicia a key made of iron. She quickly unlocked the shackles around her legs, but the chain around her arms had no such lock.

Alicia looked at the woman's hands and saw that they were bound with a sparkling silver chain. It looked too thin to hold even this lithe-bodied woman. As she examined the bonds, Alicia noticed that the woman's porcelain face and emerald eyes were so beautiful, perfectly shaped and lovely. She was a mature beauty who looked to be a few years older (but most likely was several centuries older) than Alicia. Her hair was the exact same color and just as thick and shiny as Rufus's, similar enough to send a pang to Alicia's heart as she looked at her and then forced her eyes back down to the chain around her hands.

"What is this?" she asked, trying to undo them to no avail.

The elf looked up, the hope and brightness fading out of her expression. "It is called Gleipnir," she said. "An unbreakable chain that binds the wearer from using any sort of magics. It was stolen from my homeland... along with me."

At this point the man standing behind Alicia also seemed to realize that this was going to take a bit longer than he had anticipated. "I'll watch the entrance," he said. "I promise that I won't shut you in, but if we have to, we should escape even with her still tied up. As long as she can walk."

"O...okay..." Alicia agreed uneasily.

_Just trust him_, Silmeria said. _I don't sense any evil intention from him, and I don't want him to see my powers. _Alicia wanted to point out that Silmeria's track record with trusting people wasn't very good, but then... none of those situations had been a total surprise to her as they had been to Alicia, either.

"Go ahead," Alicia told the man. He nodded and left, leaving the candle on the floor at the foot of the steps.

"I'm not sure how it can be removed," the elf said sadly. "I am terribly sorry..."

Alicia found this woman's tone and noble manor of speech as beautiful as her appearance. "What's your name?" she asked, as she thought of what to do.

"Rousallier," she replied. "If there is any danger to you here, then you should leave... I should have thought of this before I called you. I suppose it is my fate to be locked away here..."

"Why do you say that?" Alicia asked her.

Before the elf could answer, Silmeria took over. "I can release you from your chains," she said, and immediately the elvin woman was alarmed by the change of her personality. "But first, answer me this. Are you a faithful servant of the gods who would give her very body and soul to Odin?"

"I," Rousallier answered hesitantly. "I find their actions deplorable, but I have never been brave enough to speak out... not even when I saw those suffering around me."

Silmeria smirked and looked back to the door. She could see by the feint light that the man had not, in fact, trapped them inside. Silmeria doubted that a simple wooden floorboard could trap them down here at any rate, but it was refreshing to see some good in humanity for once. "You're just like him, then," she said. "How appropriate."

"Who are you?" Rousallier asked, as Silmeria began to work a her chains. "You aren't the same as the girl who spoke a moment ago, are you? Tell me, are you a goddess?"

"Silmeria Valkyrie," she responded. "Traitor to Odin, that would be my title."

Rousallier smiled. "I'm quite relieved," she said. "I thought that perhaps I had offended you."

_What is this chain thing?_ Alicia asked.

"Gleipnir is a relic of the gods, a tool to be used by them alone. An unfortunate aspect of its design allows it to be _locked_ by anyone, but only _unlocked_ by the gods. It also explains why only we could hear her voice, and yet we were not affected by it."

_So... you can unlock it, can't you?_

Alicia was answered as the chain came unraveled at Silmeria's touch. Silmeria quickly returned her to her usual place at the forefront of her mind. "There!" Alicia said as she slid the chains from around the woman's arms. "You're free! Can you walk? We must get out of here as soon as possible."

_Keep the chain_, Silmeria advised. _ It could come in handy._ Alicia did so, hiding it inside her vest for safe keeping.

"I am quite healthy," Rousallier said, standing up carefully. Like Rufus, she was a good head taller than Alicia at least. "Please, tell me your name as well. I have never seen a human act as a vessel for a goddess before."

"I am Alicia, Princess of Dipan," Alicia said, smiling up at her. "And our guard friend, well... I didn't get his name yet."

"It's Christopher," answered the man, as he returned. "And... I am afraid to say that we have company."

Rousallier smiled. "Come here," she said. "Now that I am free to use my magic, I shall transport us away from here."

"Do you know lost magics?" Alicia asked, in awe.

"I can only transport others to places where I have been before," she said, "and not over a great distance, either. But... I should be able to get us outside. That is how we elves protect the Forest of Spirits. Would outside the manor be far enough?"

"I hope so," Christopher said. "We haven't got much choice otherwise." As if to prove his point, heavy footfalls began to pound overhead. "I've never been a fan of magic, but it's better than going to jail."

Rousallier began to say fluid, beautiful words in a language that Alicia couldn't understand. A circle formed under their feet and light shot up from it. Alicia suddenly felt uneasy, reminded of Lezard and the sovereign's rite and how it had temporarily ripped Silmeria from her body. Just as the door to the cellar opened again and footsteps were heard on the stairs, their surroundings were replaced by new ones.

Bright sunlight shone over Alicia's head, and she found that they were just outside of the building, in the courtyard with the lion sculptures. Rousallier limped weakly as the sparkle of the magic spell faded away from all around them. Christopher steadied her with an arm. "We should hurry, before someone sees us," he said.

Alicia saw that they hadn't been spotted yet. She led the three of them between the large house and the next to hide. Thankfully the manors here were placed close together, and provided sort of an alley for shelter. "You should have told us that casting a spell would weaken you like that," she said to Rousallier.

The elvin woman was already recovering. "It only drains me for a moment," she said. "However... needless to say, I can't cast a spell like that consecutively..."

"If you take the dirt road behind the manors, nobody should see you," Christopher said. "That's where all the servant homes are lined up, and most of our class don't care one way or the other."

"What about you?" Alicia asked.

"I'll hurry and go to the station to report what happened and pretend I never saw you," he said. "Hopefully they'll believe that I left for reinforcements as soon as I saw that the others were beaten."

Alicia thought that he seemed doubtful. "And what if they don't...?"

"Then I suppose my wife and children will have a hard time making a living," he said. "But... maybe that's still more honorable than living off the money paid to a coward for keeping his mouth shut."

"It's all right," Rousallier said, and her hand touched the man's shoulder. "I've done the same thing in my life... I believe that all of these events must be the workings of fate."

"A changed fate, though it may be," Silmeria's voice said, emanating from Alicia's body. Christopher raised an eyebrow to this, but said nothing. A normal human man from the common class of a regular town would never even imagine a girl sharing her body with a valkyrie. "Rousallier, leave town with us. Christopher, I wish you well. Perhaps we will meet again."

_I don't like when you say that to people,_ Alicia said. _It sounds like you plan on making them Einherjar._

Alicia returned to the position of control as Silmeria fell softly behind. _He would make a fine Einherjar, I must say. _Alicia sighed in dismay.

"Good luck to you," Christopher said. "I must say, it has been interesting to meet an elf and a princess--if that's really who you are."

Rousallier smiled. "I am thankful to have learned that humans are not all so bad."

"Good bye!" Alicia replied. "Good luck!"

Rousallier gave the man one last smile of gratitude before the they parted ways.

- - -

The ladies quickly escaped from Flenceburg. The sun was setting by the time they stood on the hill that led down into the forest surrounding the city, and Alicia was glad to be out of the public's sight. Rufus's green hair had never raised alarm in public, but Alicia had a feeling that Rousallier's pointed ears would draw some attention. She stole a look at them as they quietly passed through the back streets making their way out of town, wondering if Rufus's were shaped the same way; and if so, then why did he hide them, even in private?

When they reached the outskirts of town, Silmeria took control again in order to speak to the elf. "Do you know who brought you here?"

"The lord of that manor," she answered in her dark but beautiful voice. "He was a mage of some sort, and spoke quite a bit... though most of it was insanity. From what I gathered, he at first meant to hand me off to someone else in return for some great reward; but found that I was too valuable to give to anyone else. That combined with the fact that he could not remove that chain from me once he set it around my arms..."

"It is an old trick of the gods," Silmeria said. "Nothing they lend to elves or humans ever works exactly the way it was promised to." She could feel Alicia bubbling with excitement at the hint of a clue, and found it hard to contain her. "We need to find out where he originally meant to take you," she said, before Alicia wrestled her down and asked the question herself.

"He mentioned something half-crazed about a tower," Rousallier said. "I know nothing more, I am sorry."

_I'll go back into town and interrogate him myself if I have to!_ Alicia said energetically.

Silmeria groaned. "You're awfully quick to jump to violent methods for someone who is so squeamish at the thought of killing," she sighed. Rousallier smiled at this, patient with their habit of talking to each other.

_But this is different!_

Silmeria smiled slyly. "Different because it's about _Rufus?_" That insinuation silenced Alicia immediately.

"Rufus?" Rousallier asked, alarmed by the mention of that name. She looked down sadly. "I see... you must be looking for the half-elf..." Her posture became weak and sorrowful as she went on. "Surely this must be the work of fate..."

"Why do you say that?" Alicia asked, finally replacing Silmeria. "How do you know about Rufus?"

Rousallier looked up again and there was an unbelievable sadness in her eyes. "There have been only two half-elves born into this world in all of history," she explained. "Odin is one, and Rufus is the name of the other. Though I have never met him, all elves know that name. Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost, is constantly looking for him." Alicia remained quiet when she finished, hoping that she would continue. After taking a deep breath, she did. "Though I never had a hand in it myself, I was very aware of what was happening in the Forest of Spirits... of what they did to that poor boy..."

Alicia's eyes grew wide as she inched closer to the elf woman out of curiosity. "What did they do?" she asked her.

"I've only heard stories," Rousallier explained. "I heard that his father was a human who came to the home of the elves, but I never saw him... I'm just a simple forest dweller, after all. I don't know what became of the mother and father, but they were never heard from again.. the child was raised in solitude, locked away deep in the Forest of Spirits.. I was relieved when I heard that he had escaped, but he is cursed all the same..."

"I see," Alicia said in a depressed tone.

"Please let me help you find him," Rousallier spoke up. "It's the least I can do to repay you, and maybe... perhaps this way I can repent for remaining silent though I knew all along the treachery of the gods and of my own people."

Silmeria responded to this quickly. "No," she said. "This is where we part ways, my friend."

"Why?" Rousallier asked, growing upset. "Surely I can help you... I can hide my ears--and my skills with a bow are quite good! I know some magics..."

"I don't doubt it," Silmeria replied, "but with every minute you spend with us, you put both us and yourself into dire danger. If a god decides to enter your body, then that's the end for all of us."

She looked away in disappointment. "I suppose you are right. I just wish that I could do something."

Silmeria smiled. "Go back to the Forest of Spirits, and be as true to your own ideals as you can. Unless you wield great power, changes must take place gradually. If you end up dead or banished, it won't do anyone any good. In order to fulfill Rufus's potential, we must pass through the Forest of Spirits. Prepare yourself for our coming. That will help us greatly."

Rousallier smiled and nodded. "I will do that."

Alicia returned the smile and bowed in parting, taking Rousallier's hands. They were warm and she had the loveliest long, elegant fingers. "Good luck, Rousallier."

"Take care of yourself," Rousallier replied. "I will pray that you will find your friend."

They went their separate ways. Rousallier traveled to the southeast to return to her home. Alicia stood in place for quite a while after she had gone, not sure where to go. She had been so excited to see Rufus at last, and now, once again, she had little more than a clue to go on. A tower. How many towers of note where there in Flenceburg, let alone all of Midgard?

_Let's go back into town_, Silmeria said. _Don't worry about Rousallier._ _As an elf, she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. We need to get more information._

"Right," Alicia agreed, and pulled her cloak over her head again. She doubted that anyone but those five guards could accurately recognize her, but she was still nervous. She tried not to show it. She tried not to let Silmeria see that she was scared--not just of being spotted and having to fight human people another time, but also of losing Rufus. She forced herself to walk steady and hold her head up. "When we reunite with Rufus, then we'll go to Yggdrassil... right?"

_Yes,_Silmeria answered._ And then, we will change everything._

_- - -_

A fog rolled into Flenceburg that night. Alicia was thankful for this change of weather for two reasons. The first was that it was no longer frigidly cold; and the second was that in the thick cloud, no one could spot her from far away. There were few people on the street in any case, but those who were about that night converged at a pub.

It was a perfect night for telling old stories. Alicia and Silmeria bought a meal and listened in. It was the easiest information gathering that Alicia had ever done.

The drunken residents of Flenceburn began to weave an old yarn of a strange tower that lied to the east. They noted how the nobility would tell you how it was built by an influential family whose heirs all died, leaving the place empty. Such an undesirable location, they would scoff. No wonder it's still uninhabited! But of course the common-folk knew better. They had even more interesting tales about its origins, and of the fates of those who entered, trying to claim it as their own.

_It will be impossible to travel in this fog_, Silmeria noted, without even having to agree with Alicia on their next destination.

Alicia was yawning more and more the longer they listened. Her nap hadn't been nearly enough to recharge. "But I want to keep looking..." she yawned, stretching her arms over her head.

_You won't get anywhere like that,_ Silmeria scolded again. _Let's get a room and hope that this tower actually exists._

Alicia obeyed. Soon they were nestled into a bed in a small but warm room on the top floor of the inn. Alicia was seduced by the softness of the blankets and complained no more about being made to sleep. Even so, it took a little while to unwind and convince her racing mind that her body really needed for it to shut off.

While she laid in bed, she thought of Rousallier. "Are all elves beautiful like that?" she asked Silmeria aloud in the dark.

_I wouldn't suspect all of them to be_, Silmeria replied, giving little thought to the question.

Alicia sighed. "I wonder if Rufus has a very high standard of beauty, being surrounded by lovely women like that for all of his life..."

Silmeria also sighed, but in dismay rather than wistful thought. _You aren't listening to me at all._

"I wonder if his parents loved each other," she went on.

_Perhaps they did, and that is why they were killed. _

"I have been so down on myself because my mother and father are dead now... but Rufus... he never even had the chance to be loved or scorned by his parents. At least in the end, my father seemed to love me..." Her hand reached out blindly for the nightstand where she had set her important items, including the chain Gleipnir, and her father's crown. She brushed the latter of these two items with her fingers gently for comfort. "I have always had you, Silmeria."

_And Rufus will, just as well. When we find him._

"Yes," Alicia said as she pressed her eyes closed and curled up, drifting off into a dream. She spoke in a half-asleep daze "You are wonderful... I'd share you with him... "

_But would you share him with me?_ Silmeria prodded her teasingly.

Her lack of response proved that she had needed the extra sleep much more than even Silmeria expected. Silmeria took this time to rest, as well.


	6. Sank Memories

**Sank Memories, More Deep**

"Our condition," Rufus said hoarsely, struggling to speak, "it sucks."

_Your ability to understate never ceases to amaze me._

"I could be wordy too... if..." His voice failed him as he tried to make the pun. Lenneth decided to pursue the end of the joke, since it may keep him alive. _I could be wordy too if I spent all day sitting around inside another guy's body, Lenn._

Lenneth did not dignify this with a response. When she took control of his body, she was reminded of how much he was going through for her, holding back his agony like a dam fit to burst. 

It had been several days since the meals served by the humonculus had stopped coming. Lenneth wondered if that offense to nature had simply fallen apart--if its ill begotten design had finally collapsed. The room stank of human waste and mildew. Rufus was starving away, his bones showing through his skin. Lezard's unholy servants had not been pressed to even bring water, forcing them to drink the putrid, stagnant puddles that pooled in the uneven floor of this pit to stay alive. 

And still she pulled Rufus's mouth into a smile. Despite the accusation in his joke, he had said _our condition_. Our, we, us--he had begun to refer to himself as these more often than with their singular equivalents. 

She squinted as the torches in the room abruptly lit. So hazy were Rufus's senses that she had not even noticed the door to their prison opening until they lit by magic. She attempted to turn her head, and saw only two pairs of feet. One was in brown leather boots, belonging to the necromancer. The other was in light blue-violet greaves, the abomination. 

Lezard's face came into sight as he knelt beside her host's form, which laid unmoving on its side. His arm slid underneath Rufus's bony shoulders and lifted him--_her_ into his arms. With a gloveless hand, he caressed the sunken cheeks and tangled hair. With it came warmth that both of them so desperately desired, but could only loathe in receiving it from him. "Ahh," he sighed contentedly as he looked into Lenneth's eyes. 

_Let me come out, _Rufus demanded. Lenneth felt him beating against the walls of his psyche. 

"Best I do not," she said weakly as Lezard continued to stroke her skin. 

"Yes," Lezard crooned. "Best you don't let that ignorant fool surface, lest I beat what little life remains in you right out." He said this in a horrifically pleasant tone. Even so, it was not the abuse that she feared for Rufus's sake. It was this touch. "Can you stand, my love?" he asked her sweetly. "Today I'm taking you on a little tour."

Lenneth did not reply. Without taking his eyes off of her, he snapped his bare fingers. The humonculus stood to attention, then knelt behind Rufus's body. She chained his fragile wrists in place with hand cuffs and then helped Lezard to pull Lenneth to her feet. Lenneth was too weak to struggle as they carried her, one under each of Rufus's arms, to the door.

The hallway outside was dim, lit only by a silvery ray which shone in from some window high above their line of vision. It was still more light than Lenneth or Rufus had seen in quite some time. The path was narrow and made of stone. Half walking and half gliding on her captor's arms, the journey to the end of it felt like it lasted for an eternity. Lenneth had some idea of where they were taking her, but could do nothing to stop them. 

"Your body is so frail, my love," Lezard said to her with a tsk. "Luckily, I have prepared a new one for you."

What followed was a blur of dark passages and chambers that rose to higher floors by feat of machinery. At each pause she hoped it was over, but then a door would slide away, revealing another passageway. 

When they finally arrived in their destination, Lenneth was not surprised to see a row of tubes sizable enough to contain a human body. This did not surprise her, but when_ Rufus_ saw their contents, she could no longer hold him back.

Rufus had only seen Lenneth's true form for a moment, and even then she had been hidden behind armor, her eyes glaring out from beneath a winged visor that cast a shadow over her eyes. What rest floating in its glass chamber was not that creature at all, but a beautiful woman--naked, her arms held above her head and her feet wrapped together, prone and innocent.

"Lenneth," Rufus spoke in a raspy voice.

Lezard, who still held him, tightened his grip around his waist, holding his arm over his shoulder for support. He had watched their eyes shift from slate grey to lush green, and at the sound of Rufus's voice emerging from their body, a wicked smile lit his features. "You find her attractive, don't you?" he said, smirking. "This is my best work, Sir Rufus. Be thankful that I have allowed your eyes to fall upon her divinity." 

He slid his arm from underneath him, allowing Silmeria to take all of his weight. Rufus slumped against the humonculus as Lezard turned open-armed to his creation and began to laugh so loudly that Rufus believed his head would split. "Is this the first naked woman you have seen?" he gasped between fits of laughter. "Then blessed are you! You shall not live to see another, and so die believing that all women are so perfect!" 

"I'll die..." he struggled to say, half coming out as soundless motions of his mouth. "I'll go to that abyss... before I let you take her from me."

"You do not have that power," Lezard said, tilting his head as he looked at Rufus again in amusement. "I've taken even your ability to die. You will only die when I allow you to."

Rufus doubted that even if he removed his ring that he would have the strength to keep them from forcing it onto him again. He could bite his tongue, but Lezard no doubt had some way of dealing with that as well. 

_Hold onto life, Rufus,_ Lenneth said. _All is not yet lost._

He was vaguely away of Lezard tinkering something behind his turned back. When he faced him again, he held a syringe in his hand. His eyes were hidden by the glare of the pale light on his spectacles, but his satisfied grin said all that needed to be said. "This will only hurt for a moment," he promised insincerely. "Soon enough you'll feel nothing at all."

Rufus closed his eyes as he felt Lezard grab his arm and forcefully jab the needle into what remained of the muscles around his shoulder. He could feel the liquid shooting into him so cold that he could feel it course through his veins. He began to feel lightheaded and fought against it, but lost the ability to hold himself up. He fell and was unaware of his surroundings before the humonculus caught him. Sight, sound, touch--all were gone, and ter this wasn't unconsciousness. It was a complete lack of sensation. 

- - -

A hauntingly sweet scent permeated the air. The field was silver--filled with white flowers tinted sapphire by the moonlight. The moon itself hung low in the sky, full and huge. 

_Painfully ominous_, Silmeria said.

Alicia covered her mouth and nose with the cloth of her cloak and took careful breaths through it. "Weeping lillies," she said. "They aren't native to this region, they come from Coriander."

_Let's hope that it is Lezard's floral preference_, she replied. _We have already wasted enough time._

She looked up at the center of the valley carpeted in the flowers where there stood an incredible structure. It was solid black and jutted into the midnight blue sky like a dagger stabbing at the moon. "Did Lezard build that?" she gasped.

_I doubt it_, Silmeria answered. _It has been here for decades if not hundreds of years uninhabited... although Lezard _does_ possess the ability to travel through time. I'm sure that his house guests ward off others from claiming it..._

"I don't care what monsters lie in wait!" Alicia declared, running into the field. The flower's pollen smelled of sweet perfume, but it was deadly in large amounts. A sprint through a field like this was dangerous even for a healthy adult, and she was eager to be on the other side. 

_Slow down! If you start panting, you'll inhale too much!_

"But what if we're too late?" she argued. "No, I won't stop!"

Silmeria sounded tired._ Just pace yourself..._

Minutes later, Alicia reached the foot of the tower. There was a black gate across the only entrance. The rest was a solid wall with no windows or even so much as a brick extrusion to climb upon. "Knocking isn't going to work," Alicia grumbled, still holding the tail of her cloak over her face as she peered through the gate. Beyond it was the foyer of the tower, although it was clear that guests were not entertained here. Well... maybe if you were to use Lezard's definition of entertainment... "What do we do?"

Her question was nearly cut off by the sound of a lost soul's moan. The shifting figure of a deformed spirit stalked into view through the heavy iron bars. _Shoot it_, Silmeria prompted her. Alicia did not need to be told.

She crystalized the creature with her photon and warped inside. A frown set into her face as she realized that the monster was now outside the gates, free to roam. _Never mind that_, Silmeria chided her. _Lezard is fully aware of our powers. It would be stupid of him to allow monsters to walk around at the entrance--_

"Unless it's a trap," Alicia finished, looking about the area carefully. It was a courtyard that led into a several dark stairwells winding up into the tower. Everything was metal, either muted grey or black. It was mechanical, pieced together with enough finely crafted twisting wrought iron to buy five stone castles of the same size. 

_We must spring it_, Silmeria responded.

Alicia sighed. "Haven't you ever heard of disarming traps, Silmeria?"

Silmeria gave a short laugh. _Well, I would try, but as you keep insisting--we simply don't have the time._

- - -

When Rufus's awareness returned, he was suddenly colder than ever before. This chill went deep into him causing his entire body to spasm in pain, and then he could no longer move. Slowly relief came as his senses went completely numb. There was no warmth in his body. He was devoid of feeling. Not too bad, considering the pain that he was in.

_Where are we?_

Lenneth's voice raised a good question. His chest rose and fell with a bit more effort than what was normally required. The substance that he was breathing was not air, but liquid. Realizing that, he began to cough and sputter, trying to push it out, but there was no air to replace it with. His body was was so cold that it soon distracted him even from this. _I'm a living corpse_, he thought as his body tried to reject the fluid being forced into it.

He thought he heard thunder then, a horrible noise erupting his head. It slammed into him in sets of three consecutive blows, resembling something intentional rather than a force of nature. He forced his eyes to open though he could not feel them, and his vision was a blur at best. Everything was green and sickly. 

_We are inside a glass chamber! _Lenneth exclaimed. Rufus got the distinct expression that she had seen something like this before, but he could not move his mouth to speak to her.

He forced his vision to focus as much as it would and found that it was true. There was a curved barrier all around his body warping his vision like a piece of blown glass. Beyond it, he could see vague lights and glowing tubes of the same pale green liquid. There were two bright circles that flashed, reflecting light.

He jolted again when he realized that these were Lezard's glasses glowing in the light like the eyes of a camouflaged snake, his face otherwise hidden. His reaction was met with another set of booming explosions. That thunder was the sound of Lezard striking his fist against the glass. Rufus wanted to kick it, wanted to crack it open and free himself of this gelatinous, soul-numbing substance, but he could only hang there, suspended within it.

Movement caught his eye, but he could not make out what was happening. The sound of a lever being thrown echoed through the tube along with other mechanical sounds. Then a painful flash of light. 

All at once there was someone else there. Someone other than himself and Lenneth were there in the tube.

_Can you hear me now_,_ friends?_ the voice of Lezard echoed through his container, into his body, and into his head. He could feel the liquid filling his lungs and stomach vibrate with the sound of his voice, but it was not his ears that detected the noise. 

"Get out!" Rufus screamed into the liquid surrounding him. The laughter that followed was maddening, reverberating throughout all areas of his body and his mind, shaking the foundations between body and soul. "Get out! _GET OUT!_"

_Oh ho! So hostile! _Lezard replied. _I thought that speaking to both of you this way might make things a great deal more convenient for all of us._

Lenneth was silent while Rufus continued screaming and wailing in all kinds of agony, protesting this violation. Lezard gave a _tsk_ in dissapointment. _Silence will get us nowhere, my love_, he said in a soothing tone.

Rufus shouted out again, his voice hitting a higher note in a certain sort of special pain, as Lezard reached out and grasped something through the power of their immaterial bond. It was as if he had somehow grabbed Lenneth, who laid inside of Rufus, by her throat and squeeze until she had to choke. "Let go of her!" Rufus struggled to say, but he was choking as well, coughing bile now. The green liquid that surrounded him grew tainted with his gastric fluids. 

_Rufus, calm yourself._ Lenneth scolded him. _He is not touching you. He is standing outside of this chamber, there is no one here! It is simply an illusion. Clear your mind._

Rufus tried to obey her, but those hands were on him again no matter how strongly he denied their existence. They were _warm_. They soothed the chill in his body which he was so desperate to be rid of.

_Don't you like it?_ Lezard said as he began to touch Lenneth in a more soothing manner, all the while still choking her. It was a complex feeling impossible to express through physical means, this painful stranglehold and affectionate embrace all at once. _No one has ever touched you this way, am I right?_

Lenneth struck back with all of her fury, clawing at that voice in their collective minds like a bird of prey intent on plucking the eyes from his skull. _Be gone from here! _

Lezard only laughed; he laughed as hard as he ever had in all of their cursed time together. Rufus gnashed his teeth together at the sound. His heart fell as he heard Lenneth screaming. Her resistance was shattered and this was all very real. _You will like it_, Lezard promised. _I will make you like it. _

"What are you _doing_?" Rufus shouted. A foreign sensation began to course through him. Unlike before, he was unable to restrain these feelings from reaching Lenneth. They were intended for her. His flesh needed to be warm, thirsted to be touched though the touch that came was poison. "Stop it! _Get out of me_!"

A wall came thundering down between Lenneth and Lezard. Rufus imagined an iron divider thicker than any castle wall, an unbreakable dam. It sealed Lezard away from Lenneth. His torture ceased momentarily. 

Despite this obstacle, Lezard remained surprisingly calm. It was Lenneth who he felt beating against the barrier. _He will only gain more power! I must defeat him!_

"How_can_ you?" Rufus cried. Aloud, this came out as little but muffled murmurs echoing through the tube. "I want it to stop--just _run_!"

_On my honor as a valkyrie, your being shall be purified! I shall slay the heretic and his soul shall be welcomed through the gates of Nifleheim!_

Empty Asgardian threats, and he knew it.

_Listen to her, Sir Rufus_, Lezard chuckled, waiting patiently outside the wall. _I know how she gets when she is determined. Don't you believe that unyielding spirit and true love can defeat the evil likes of me? Let her at me if she wants to fight with me so badly._

_Silence, you! Blasphemer! Taint upon the mortal coil!_

_Oh, your sweet talk will not distract me from my goals, my love._

Rufus braced himself. "I won't!"

_Rufus!_ Lenneth shouted. Her voice sounded unusually full of concern. _Please!_

Lezard sneered. _If you decide to resist, then I will be forced to break through your pathetic barriers. _

Rufus then felt a terrible explosion rip through him. It was like being set on fire from the inside out, being struck by lightning--like being twisted until your insides became your outsides. The wall shattered as if the iron had been nothing but brittle glass. Both he and Lenneth screamed. Rufus panted for breath, pushing the gelatinous fluid in and out of his weak body.

_I'm coming for you, Lenneth!_ Lezard shouted in terrible glee. 

Rufus threw up another wall. It crashed as Lezard threw himself into him with all of his might. Another formed, but it was even weaker. All the while, Lenneth was trying to get her opening to fight, to bravely fight. 

_He's onto your plan, my love,_ Lezard called to Lenneth through the winding hallways of Rufus's mind. _Do you think that throwing yourself to your death could save him? Even if I could bring myself to kill you, my beautiful lady love, how would he ever live a minute in my care without you, darling?_

Lenneth would not answer.

_I suppose it is expected. History would prove that I can only destroy that which I care for and that which could possibly care for me. But certainly you can weather through my love, Lady Valkyrie. Your strength should stand against my affections... long enough... _

"Hide," Rufus mumbled, speaking to Lenneth now. He pushed her deep inside, hid her underneath parts of him that no one could ever find. She attempted to speak out, but he pushed her further, buried her. 

_Stop, Rufus!_ she tried to cry out against him, but her voice could not even reach him, he hid her so well. She choked under the pressure of his soul as if it smothered the air from her. _You 're drowning me! Rufus!_

Rufus could _feel_ him smile that cocky, all-knowing smile. _Oh Rufus, you amuse me so_, he began to say, turning his attention away from Lenneth a brief moment. _Your spirit isn't strong enough, so you resort to hiding her under the very insecurities that make you so weak. Do you even understand what it is you are doing?_

_It's true, _Rufus thought. Silmeria believed that he could have fought the gods if he possessed that kind of strength, but then marked the pursuit as hopeless. Could he never assist her, never save himself? Never save Alicia anymore that he could save Lenneth?

_I can hear what you are thinking,_ Lezard crooned. Rufus felt arms wrapping around his body and shivered though it enveloped him in warmth. _You have no resolve._

"I would do anything to save Lenneth right now!" Rufus shouted, wishing that he could literally hide behind the words. Just run away, get away. 

_Would you? Oh, would you really?_ he cackled in return. Scratches. Light wounds that festered and burned, and yet weren't really there. _Okay Rufus, how about this? You could use the princess. A vessel for Silmeria could be a vessel for Lenneth easily! Just displace both the current inhabitants by pushing Lenneth into her, it is so very simple! Would you do that to save poor Lenneth?_

"N-no! Of course not!"

_Then you don't quite understand the extent of_ "anything" _do you? Do you honestly think that what you feel for Lenneth is _love? _Is that where she is hiding?_

_Ru-!_ Lenneth began to shout before she was put down again.

_Ahaha! Watch it Rufus, you're letting her slip. Don't conceal her underneath such obvious weaknesses, it makes the game too easy. _

Rufus refused to answer that, but his silence was telling enough.

_Would you give your body to Odin for Lenneth--dear, sweet Lenneth? If you manage to defeat me and free her, she will leave you and go back to serving Odin like the loyal lap dog that the gods have subdued her into being. Without me to free her, she is insufferably pathetic... But you have convinced yourself that you love her, haven't you? Because she has become close to you, because she hasn't outright rejected you the way that everyone else you have ever encountered in your life has._

"Lenneth wouldn't--" Rufus tried to speak over him even as he rambled on, but his words were striking into him, refracting his words and rendering them unspeakable. 

_Don't delude yourself into believing that you have any worth to her. What worth do you have except for being a vessel? Is that where my Lenneth could be hiding? _

"I don't--"

_Silmeria hasn't even attempted to save you, you know. You aren't just a failure as a potential god, you're also a pathetic body guard. She would rather move on without you than suffer your idiotic presence._

"Alicia, I--"

_Ha! Ha! Ha! You kill me! Alicia only loves Silmeria, or were you too busy deluding yourself with the idea that you could protect her to so much as notice?_

"Stop it--"

_Is she hiding with the elves who beat you...? _

"_Stop it_!"

_Is she hiding with the gods who defiled you...?_

"Get your hands _off of me!_"

_Ha... You should thank me for this, Rufus. No one else will ever touch you._ _That is exactly where she is hiding... isn't it?_

Rufus screamed as his body ignited in a fire of sensation. Tears mixed into the solution restraining him. "Leave me alone, please,_please_!" 

_Let it go, and it will all be over._

The hot shadows that caressed his prone form shot into him, piercing the most intimate areas of his soul. Fear and self-loating, where he had hidden Lenneth. Lenneth drowning, shivering and afraid from the intensity of it. Empty, never-ending pain, like removing his ring. Like looking into the eyes of that souless creature. His body betrayed him, twitching, and he whimpered like a child.

A thundering voice:_ LENNETH VALKYRIE IS MINE!_

Rufus shouted Lenneth's name as he felt her being torn from him, stolen from him. He could not hear her sounds if she made them, their bond--the only one he had ever shared with another--shattered and broken. Where his flesh had screamed, it was now completely silent--cold, numb, dead. He was empty, the loneliness more acute than all that he had ever felt concentrated into a single moment. If he could see, he would know that he was sobbing. 

He thought that unconsciousness would never come, that this was part of the torture. In truth, Lezard had no special interest in his pain, only in the potential of his blood, and sleep came soon, abrupt and merciful. 


	7. Motion of the Finishing Blow

**Chapter 7: Motion of the Finishing Blow**

_This place is worse than the Chateau Obsession_, Silmeria noted in disgust. She watched from within as Alicia sprinted through, unconcerned for once with motivating her. It would frighten even the valkyrie to see what sort of creature could cause her to pause.

"Lezard is a fearsome mage," Alicia panted. She followed the only trail of footsteps present in the place left in the thick layer of dust that coated the floor. As she ran, a cloud of it kicked up behind her. "I had no idea--" a deep breath between hurried pants, "--that his powers were this extensive..."

_Of course, he hid it from us to avoid suspicion_, said Silmeria. _Even suffered injury many times to convince us..._

Alicia came to a stop at a strange contraption that appeared to be a small compartment on conveyer belts. Alicia had never seen anything quite like it. "The footprints go in and out of here," she said. "I suppose it must go up..."

_His genius is mechanical as well as magical._

"Don't _compliment_ him!" Alicia scolded. She stepped inside and inspected the chamber. There was a lever, simple enough.

_Look on the bright side_, Silmeria pointed out. _Only one destination._

Alicia nodded and threw the level. There were creaks of machinery and the repetitive clatter of gears. Her heart jumped as it began to rise, but she did not react on the surface. A few moments passed, floors of the tower going by slowly, some of them inhabited by the same creatures as the one she had seen outside. She supposed that she could reach any of these floors through use of her photons if she had to, it may have been intended as a distraction. Idle moments left her mind asking questions she wished she would not think about. "These creatures look like the ones in Dipan... Do you think that maybe Lezard gave my father and the three mages the technology to grow those monsters?"

_I cannot say._

"Do you think--" she went on, clenching her fists, "that without Lezard, my father would have never sacrificed those people? That maybe Hrist wouldn't have killed him...?"

_I cannot say_, Silmeria repeated. _It is not your fault. Neither is it your fault that Rufus may be dead. That is Lezard's doing alone.  
_

Alicia brought her hands up to grasp the sides of her head and wanted to scream. "Don't say that, Silmeria... not now..."

_You know that I would never sweeten the truth for you, and so take comfort in this. He may be dead, but I think the chances are greater that he is alive. Either way, death is not the end in my work. What I am trying to say is this: your father did those things to "cure" you, but you never asked for that--_

"I did, Silmeria... I told him that I wanted to be apart from you..."

_It is not your fault, so do not worry whether or not Lezard was involved. Clear your mind and focus on the battle at hand.  
_

"Rufus, if he dies, it is my fault..."

Silmeria sighed in the futility of this argument. _Just focus on finding him._

Alicia nodded and clasped her hands together. "Please, Silmeria. Give me the strength."

Silmeria responded in an angry voice, weary with the girl's self-perpetuated weakness. _The strength is yours to find, now focus and get ready to fight!_

- - -

It had been a long time since Lenneth felt no pain. Now, her body was warm. She still felt the sensation of pushing liquid through her lungs, but at least she could breath again. She was no longer a living corpse, but like a child in her mother's womb. Humans could not remember that sensation, yet they somehow knew it. The same for Lenneth.

Lenneth had mysterious sensations like this quite often--feelings of love, but more often of grief. A mother... the concept was somehow terrible and frightening to her. Her einherjar sometimes called her mother, perhaps not in name. Through their loyalty and their comfort when tucked away inside of her, they named her mother.

She was alone now. No one was here. Not Arngrim or Mystina. Not Lucian, and not Rufus.

She opened her eyes slowly, allowing them to focus and peer through the foggy green liquid. They opened easily, responding to the strength within her body that Rufus had so sorely lacked. This was obviously not his body, but this did not surprise her.

She was not totally alone after all. Lezard was there, staring up at her with wordless admiration. Her anger burned but she did not move, letting the ember smoulder and live on. She turned her head to the left, looking away from his glaring spectacles, opting to disregard him. There was another chamber of the same size there, empty now. This one and hers were connected. This fluid had not only transferred Lezard's presence into their minds somehow, it had acted as a vehicle between Rufus's body and this man-made one, although only after raping Rufus of mind and body in order to tear her from him.

"Where is he?" she said. Her voice came out clean and bright for the first time in months. It rang out in the fluid, amplified by the curved shape of the chamber.

Lezard scowled and struck her container, sending a deafening shock through it. She did not flinch, but only raised a brow in scrutiny. He left his gloved palm there against the glass, longing to touch her. "To think that the first words from the lips that I crafted so painstakingly for you are of that pathetic vessel," his voice echoed through to her.

"Where is he?" she repeated. Just the same heavy sternness to which Lezard was accustomed in her voice.

"Never worry," he gave in with a sigh. "As much as I _want_ to kill him, a true born half-elf is such a rarity that I have reasons for keeping him alive."

"You would trap Silmeria just as you have trapped me."

"Yes, and I _have_ trapped you, haven't I?" he replied in a lusty voice. His eyes focused on her with a frightening intensity that made even Lenneth unsettled. "Say that again."

Finally she was roused to anger. "You dare make demands of me, monster?" Lenneth shouted, kicking at her confines.

Lezard grinned. "Monster... I like that title much more than the others you have given to me. heretic, blasphemer, etc... those are rather complimentary when one considers the treachery of the gods, and I deserve something more sinister." He chuckled and shook his head in dismay. "Tell me, what is the primary quality that differentiates a monster from a mere beast of prey? Animals of several kinds eat their young; many kill for the pleasure of killing--cats in particular find torture amusing... Males of countless species kill each other for the opportunity to mate." He laughed and threw his hands up, inviting her argument. "What is it, Lenneth? It must be my intelligence that makes me a monster, so high above other living creatures! Or is it my dashing good looks?"

Lenneth listened to his rant without giving him the satisfaction of revolting again. "An animal acts on primal urge alone. You claim to know love and compassion, and yet you treat even those you would call friend with undeserved cruelty."

"So then, a monster is a creature that has the capacity to feel, and yet feels no remorse," Lezard answered with a  
nod. "Ah, very profound, my love. It does, however, prove your extremely limited perspective..."

She held her storm-eyed gaze on him. "What are you waiting for?"

"Impatient, are we?" he chuckled. "I am afraid that this has merely been a test of your motor skills, and quite a successful test it was! Return to your sleeping bliss, my love. All will be ready soon enough."

With that, he turned and stepped over to the lever that had begun Rufus's torture when... how long had it been? "I will not sleep whilst you lie in wait for my sister!"

"Oh, Lenneth," he sighed, chuckling as he threw the lever. "You don't have a choice."

- - -

Alicia stepped off of the elevator into another hallway nearly identical to the last. Dust and shadows were all that littered the passage ways. They must have been clean to a point of sterility at some time in the past. Perhaps even well-lit.

What distinguished this floor from the others was the lack of sound. Once the final clanks of machinery ground to a halt, it was silent. No shuffling of undead feet or moaning of displaced spirits. No skittering of multi-legged creatures, and definitely no heavy footfalls of ogres.

_Either we are close, or this is the trap..._

Alicia did not respond for fear of stirring whatever lurked in wait. She crept silently away from the contraption which had carried her here, turning her head from one direction to the other, scanning for danger.

In the first chambers there were few differences, but soon she passed through a set of doors and froze in place at the stark change of environment. These walls were plaster and not metal or stone, a dingy color but much lighter than the blacks and greys of everything else. Torches of fire that burned much too furiously for the fuel that they were given cast harsh light, darkening every shadow.

Most disturbing was the writing on the walls--dark red handwritten passages of an ancient ritual, and heretical symbols. Alicia examined it cautiously. "Is that... pig's blood?" she wondered aloud.

_Blood, I would say yes... But a pig's...? I somehow doubt it... _

"Human blood?" Alicia asked meekly.

_Closer_, Silmeria responded. _I'd say elf... _

There was a long creak in the hall. Alicia heard hissing, the sound of a snake coiled up defensively and ready to strike. Her sword glinted in the fire's light as she raised it in front of her. "Come out!" she shouted. Her voice echoed in the hallways.

An answer came, but not in the form of words. A flash of color shot at her with inhuman speed, thrusting something at her--an arm, some kind of claw. She barely deflected it, holding her sword firmly. Her legs nearly buckled under her, but she weathered through the attack.

Then it darted away and squatted in a cat-like position on its hands and feet. Its body contorted in ways that a human's should not be able to move. It's shape was like that of a woman's, but this creature was no woman. In place of its face was a hollow blackness that sucked all light into itself.

"What_ is_ that?" Alicia shrieked.

Silmeria hesitated a moment, then replied calmly. _It's me._

She looked closer and noticed the plumage on the woman's helm, her light violet armor, and her flowing skirts. They were stained with blood and grime.

"Y-you?" Alicia stammered. "What do you mean?"

_It appears to be a copy of my valkyrie form. Lezard is thorough in his research. _

Alicia was horrified. Long had she dreamed of looking upon Silmeria's physical form, but never like this. She jumped several feet back in terror as it skittered towards her on its belly like an insect, legs and arms bowed up like a cricket's. It began to speak, it's voice little more than a coarse whisper. "Belongs to me... take... I take... good care..."

Alicia felt Silmeria jump into her. "What belongs to you?" she shouted to the creature. "Is it Rufus? Do you guard him?"

"Gift from.. master..." it went on. The hissing became a panting noise. "Pretty... pretty hair... mine..."

"Obviously not one for conversation," Silmeria said darkly. She held Alicia's sword with resolve.

_What is she? Does she know where Rufus is?_

"_It_ is a creature of the Abyss," Silmeria explained. "That which inhabits a souless body..." Then she was on her feet, darting at the creature. It had jumped to its feet, pulling a sword of its own from its side."

"Kill you!" it shrieked.

Silmeria clashed swords with it. "Return to the Abyss, creature of darkness! You will not claim him as your own! Consider your pact with this master of yours hereby annulled!"

The faceless creature said no more, it only screeched a long, insufferably loud, howl that lasted far longer than any breathing creature could manage without taking a breath for air. Alicia, even from inside the fortified walls of her body, shivered and sought to block out the sound.

Silemeria maintained her focus. She sprang at the creature just as it sprang at her, exchanging blows. Sometimes it sluggishly responded as if only partially aware of its surroundings, making itself an easy target; and at other moments it had the reflexes and speed of a panther. After many clashes and paries, Silmeria knocked the sword from her opponent's clumsy hands. It clattered across the floor, far from reach.

In the next motion, Silmeria's own sword found its blade lodged deep into the torso, the area just under her breastplate. "Ah!" Silmeria let out this noise of surprise when it did not cry out in pain, or so much as flinch. It worried Alicia. Silmeria was not supposed to express shock. Silmeria was supposed to always be stoic--unphasable.

Without lamenting the loss of her sword, the manufactured valkyrie grasped hold of Alicia's sword in one arm, and punched as hard as she could with the other. Silmeria lost her grip on the weapon and went flying away from the sheer force of it. She crashed against a wall several yards away, gasping to regain a normal breathing pattern.

_Silmeria! _Alicia called out. She felt herself pushed to the front and suddenly became acutely aware of the pain from that blow. Her chest felt as if it had collapsed and her back was bruised all over from impacting the wall. She writhed, trying to push herself off the ground.

When she was on her hands and knees, the soul-devoid thing threw itself upon her, knocking her onto her back. It straddled her body, pressing its weight down upon her. The breastplate weighed on her chest, suffocating her. In the space where its eyes might have been were two points of bright crimson red. Her terror was intensified as the face--or lack of a face-- pressed so close to hers that her nose was in it, _inside _of that horrible abyss. She screamed all of the sound that her petite body could muster and kicked so hard that it threw her attacker off.

She rubbed her nose as she stood up to make sure that it was still there, and then writhed holding her arms around her body. For a moment her entire being had burned in agony.

_This is what it means to remove Rufus's ring_, Silmeria said. _That is where one goes, when their soul is burned away..._

"Y-you...!" Alicia stammered. The abomination which looked so painfully like her beloved Silmeria rose from the ground and stood there swaying, the sword still lodged firmly into its upper belly. "You want to send Rufus to that Abyss that fills you? Do you think that this will somehow make you whole?"

It began to lurch towards her with a cumbersome swagger, its head tilted to the side. "Let me..." she moaned, "keep him..."

_Perhaps I did wound it after all...  
_

It fell on its knees as it came within a few feet of her, and then crawled. Alicia backed up against the wall as it cornered her. "Lonely..." it cried, "sad..."

It was inching along on its stomach by the time that it reached her. Its hands stretched out, grasping at Alicia's legs. After a few misses, it latched onto her ankle. Alicia froze for a moment and then began to stomp at her arms and hands in desparation. It did not flinch even as she crushed its fingers under foot. The chill of its hands reached her skin through her boots. She began to hyperventilate as it dug its nails into the leather and refused to let her go no matter how she kicked. It was weak and dying, but Alicia was terrified even more by its final desperation. "Love you..."

With its last words, its hands fell to the floor. It dropped limp as a sack. The red glow faded from its eyes. The darkness in its face ceases its insatiable hunger for light, changing from a dark abyss to a normal shadow inside of a half-formed skull.

Alicia clenched her fists. She trembled. Finally she screamed, and continued to scream until her lungs needed to be replenished with breath, and then screamed again. Silmeria did not intervene until she was through it, panting. _Don't be frightened of that darkness_, she said. _You are safe. You are still here._

She reached for her sword and pulled it from the corpse's flesh. "I," she began, panting for breath. "I feel sorry for it... I'll bet Lezard promised it that it could be human..."

_It is nothing but a broken doll now,_ Silmeria reassured her. _Save your worries for the living. _

Alicia marveled at the coldness of Silmeria's attitude towards dead flesh. A valkyrie would see it that way. She took a deep breath and left the inanimate thing behind.

_Take her__ sword too_, Silmeria suggested. Alicia stopped by the exit where it had come to rest. _We may soon have more hands in our party._

Alicia obeyed. "I certainly hope so..."

- - -

Lenneth once again regained consciousness, and this time she did not stir. She kept her eyes closed and remained perfectly still.

"Hm... not awake?" he mumbled. "Perhaps I should adjust the temperature..."

Either he had a habit of talking to himself, or he was playing along with her rouse. What mattered to her more what the sound of his voice. It came to her through the thick glass of her compartment once again. She still had the sensation of floating, of being under the pressure of liquid.

Why wasn't he taking her out? Didn't he have things in mind for her other than intensive study?

She heard footsteps. They were soft murmurs by the time they reached her ears, and she could not place their direction. That mattered very little when she heard a tapping at the glass. "Hello, Valkyrie?" he said innocently. "Time to wake up now. You have had quite enough beauty sleep."

Her eyes flashed open with an intensity that gave him a real shock, whether he had been play-acting or not. Quickly he collected himself and let out a tense breath. "Your piercing gaze is enough to stop my heart, my love." She watched in disgust as he pressed his face against the glass, stretching his arms around the cylinder in an affectionate embrace. "Ah, so close to perfect now... so ready... I can hardly wait..."

Lenneth tightened her fingers together in a fist and pulled it close to her body. With the might of her new, healthy body behind it, she punched her knuckles into the glass. Lezard snapped to attention as a hairline fracture formed in the surface of her prison. A wisp of her blood clouded around where she had hit the glass, but her face showed no sign of pain.

He backed away and began to laugh softly. "Careful, Valkyrie," he sneered. "You are mortal now, and remember that there is no transfer for you in this world... this body is the only one that you will receive."

Lenneth did not heed him in the least, and punched with her other fist. The hairline became a crack and the pressure of the fluid was enough to widen it. Green liquid gushed out onto the floor, evaporating in a cloud all around her.

"I was going to let you free eventually!" Lezard laughed, cackling as if it were a comic show. "I understand your impatience to begin, but you should have waited!"

Lenneth began to cough and sputter as air finally replaced the liquid in her lungs. Even coughing up the steaming froth and her own fluids, she kicked until enough of the glass was gone to step through.

Lezard backed away behind the panel where the levers and buttons controlling the now ruined capsule were located. He watched Lenneth sputter and spit, and then look up at him with those menacing eyes.

She regained her breathing patterns quickly by ignoring her body's involuntary protests. These ridiculous mortal trappings were bothersome, but not difficult to keep in her control. She stood straight, completely naked, her long silver hair sticking to her bare skin. It was heavier than it had ever felt to her as a goddess. Her weight was an issue when concerning her feet as well. It caused the class underfoot to push deep into her soles.

Lezard's helplessness was obviously a pretense. She heard the tell-tale crackling sound of a magic spell forming, and leapt quickly away. A blast erupted, blowing a hole into both the floor and the ceiling. It drowned out Lezard's throaty laughter for a moment, but the sound echoed through the room as soon as it was done. "I have been waiting a long time for this," he crooned while stepping back into sight.

Lenneth hid behind what remained of the mechanism she had been held in as scraps of wood, metal, and other shrapnel rained from above in the wake of his spell. He stepped towards her in the falling debris, unconcerned with the flaming shreds of his tower pouring down around him. Lenneth quickly searched for something, anything she could use as a weapon.

"Not so certain without your sword, are you?" He followed her as she ran deeper into the lab, elated with the idea of her running and hiding from him. "This cat and mouse game is _much_ more fun in reality than it is in a third party's subconscious, isn't it?"

"Cat and mouse?" Lenneth said darkly, "You flatter yourself." She eyed a length of pipe protruding from the mangled contraption and grasped it with both hands. Her bare shoulders strained as she ripped it out of place. She turned to Lezard wielding it like a club.

"Fighting without your noble einherjar to help you?" Lezard sneered in amusement. "Where are your ethereal shields? Your Ring of Nibelung to protect you from my dreaded dark magic? Are we to fight rod to rod?" He laughed, finding perverse humor in that idea.

Lenneth did not answer to this, she swung her weapon with strength and precision, giving no heed to her nakedness or her mortal status. "I condemn thee to the Abyss, traitorous lech!" she shouted as she stuck at him. He evaded the first narrowly, and quickly summoned a shield to black the second. "Guard Reinforce," he chortled even as he was tripping backwards onto the ground. He landed on his ass ungracefully but the shield held. The ancient runes he had customized the common spell with sparked aglow with each blow from her makeshift weapon.

Lenneth realized that he was making no effort to counter-attack-- he was merely sitting and enjoying the show. Her movements were pleasing to him, and that enraged her beyond all comprehension. "Oh, but you are beautiful when you are angry," he laughed softly, giving her that innocent smirk as he pushed the bridge of his glasses back to a suitable position on his nose. "Is that all that you can do? I was expecting a bit more."

Lenneth stood back. "This may be a mortal's body," she said, holding up her arm to summon power. "But my soul is still that of a goddess, and I command the power of Asgard! Your sins shall be engraved upon your very soul, and you shall repay your boundless debt with each revolution of the cycle of rebirth!"

Lezard glared at her and stood to his feet, completely unconcerned. "You hold no power here," he scoffed. "You really are going to have to learn to lie with greater skill if you hope to ever fool me."

"Believe it as you will!" Lenneth shouted. Lezard's brow raised curiously as a pure white light enveloped her hands. It sparkled with sapphire blue, the color of Lenneth's aura. The simple iron pipe in Lenneth's hand began to glow as well, elongating into the form of a spear. "This is your end, necromancer!" she announced, turning to hurl the weapon.

Lezard was surprised, but pleasantly so. As Lenneth opened her mouth to continue, he cut her off, droning through her war cry for her with only mild interest. "Yes, yes. Divine Assault Nibelung Valesti. I know."

As unimpressed as he seemed, Lenneth was sure that he was not expecting her to regain such power so immediately. She threw the holy spear into his defenses where two more lances, materialized entirely of her own divine power, crossed over forming a divine seal. She gave it everything that she could, but reserved enough of her energy to fight.

Lezard defended himself against the divine assault, but even his carefully crafted defensive spell cracked and gave way under her attack. He frowned bitterly at the destruction of his favorite new toy, but survived without injury.

Before he could celebrate or so much as come up with a new taunt, Lenneth was flying at him through the blinding aftermath of the divine strike. Her weapon was once again nothing but a blunt object, but with the strength she swung it at him, it was most certainly a mortal threat.

He waved his arm wide as she leapt through the air at him. With the dramatic sweeping motion, each and every book piled in the lab, even those that had been blown to pieces or were lit on fire flew open and their pages became alive. They flew from their bindings and swirled in the air like dry autumn leaves caught in a storm. Their force was gentle but unyielding as they halted Lenneth in mid-air and pushed her back to the ground. Her naked body sustained hairline cuts across every square inch as the paper impacted, just deep enough to draw out blood and snip bits of her hair.

"Red is an _amazing_ color for you," Lezard murmured in a deep, raspy voice, watching as the trickles of blood collected in the curves of her body. The depression of her collarbone at the base of her neck filled with the viscous liquid and spilled over, dripping through the space between her breasts and along the muscles of her torso, into the well of her belly button and down the valley of her abdomen, and between her thighs.

"Silence!" she screamed in hysterical fury and threw herself through the metaphysical extension of his frightening mind. She pushed through it with difficulty, thoughts of Lucian, Rufus, and her many lost einherjar seeing her through to strike the evil-doer, the traitor, her enemy, with vicious animosity. "You must die!"

And Lezard was thrilled. He greeted her with open arms as she flew at him, naked and slick with blood, weapon raised and eyes, so normally void of emotion, now burning with the intent to kill. His magic only buffered her impact, stopped the weapon from smashing his head into a a pulp. It bruised his shoulder instead, nearly cracking the bones. He fell to the ground on his back under her force and laid under her straddled legs.

She raised the rod again to bludgeon him, and this time he caught it in his left hand. Something in his palm snapped under the blow, but he remained oblivious to pain. He struggled to wrest it from her fingers even as his arm throbbed with its injury. His right hand reached into her tangled mess of silver hair, wet with the sticky fluid of his design and her blood. He wound it around his wrist until they were effectively tied together, then pulled until her face came to meet his.

She snarled and pulled, silver strands ripping and snapping. She refused to run away again, not from this pathetic mage and his ridiculous lust. He could destroy her body and everything that she held dear, but she would not _fear_ him. She balled her left hand into a fist and pounded it into his face as hard as she could, smashing both lenses of his glasses and the bridge of his nose underneath.

"You've never touched me," he groaned in pain as blood squelched from his nose. She continued to beat him with heavy breaths and shouts of fury but he would not give in. "All I wanted--All I ever wanted!" he cried in ecstasy, pulling her hair. He tried to draw her mouth to his in a kiss, but she would not allow him. He licked at her nose and mouth instead, tasting the blood sweat that he had infused her body with himself.

Lenneth pulled her arm out of his grasp and raised the pipe to deliver the final blow, to finish it, to finally send this horrible excuse for a human being to the underworld where he rightfully belonged.

And when she did this, he backed away from her in freight. "Stop!" he demanded, holding both hands up in defeat, including the one that was still tied to her by her hair. "You must stop!"

Lenneth did stop, but not in mercy. She reached into his cloak and grabbed the handle of the dagger he always kept at his side--such a useless thing for a man too cowardly to strike with a weapon; she slid it from its scabbard and slashed across his arm, cutting her hair into shreds and freeing her head from his grasp. His mouth fell open in speechless anger, roused not the least bit by his severely bleeding fingers, but that she had the audacity to chop off the hair that he had so painstakingly created.

Before he could speak, she jabbed the tip of the knife against his throat. "Why should I consider your life?" she demanded in a powerful, stern voice. "And how dare you demand I spare it? You truly are insane if you believe that my heart can afford the least bit of mercy for you!"

"Would you _enjoy_ hearing me beg?" Lezard answered with a grin. Lenneth dug the knife into his skin. "W-wait a second now, I have a real reason, I assure you!"

"The only excuse that I can imagine is to make you suffer the way we have suffered until it is death that you beg for rather than your miserable life!"

"Oh, that is a good one, my love," he retorted, "but let me tell you why..."

Lenneth was barely listening any longer. She raised the blade to thrust it into his chest. A quick but painful death would be ideal, only so that she would not have to listen to him. But as she moved to stab him--

"I know where your einherjar are," he said. She stayed her hand--froze in place. Her eyes widened. "Only I know how you can reclaim them."

Her hands went straight to his neck and grasped him tight. "Tell me!" she shouted, throttling him. She shook him in her hands as if she could physically loosen the information from his lips. "_Tell_ me!"

He choked and spat but continued to laugh. "No I think--" he choked, gasping to breathe, "I'd rather-- you choke me--"

Lenneth screamed in frustration as she shook him and bashed his head against the ground. All the while, he continued to grin behind his broken glasses and chuckle mockingly. "You lie!" she shouted. "You lie to save your life!"

"Oh, but you can't be sure, can you?" he managed to push through her grasp. "You can't--" a gag, "you can't kill me if there's even the--" a choke, "the slightest possibility--"

"Where _are _they?" she screamed. "Where is Rufus? _Tell_ me! Damn you, _tell me_!"

She continued to shout and strangle him in an incredibly human manner that only he seemed able to arouse in her until the lungs of her new body were tired and its throat hoarse. Lezard, still heedless to his punishment, persisted in his mocking laughter.

- - -

The trail of footsteps became weak and confusing as Alicia ascended narrow staircase. It was uneven and build without railing to keep one from falling, as if this entire segment of the tower had been hastily pieced together years ago by some frantic noble. Just as soon as Alicia thought she had reached the next floor, the stairs went all the way back down again.

_Rooms under the stairs,_ Silmeria explained. _A confusing layout, created either to disorient those who enter, or...  
_  
"Or...?"

_Or out of plain madness._

"Yeah..."

Alicia descended the stairs on the opposite side. By the time she reached the floor again, she felt as if she had climbed the tallest mountain in Midgard in stairs.

There was a door that led to the sizable space between the two flights of stairs. It was pitch black metal, a stark contrast to the flesh-colored walls inscribed with blood writing. _Danger ahead_, came the voice of an einherjar within her. It was difficult to place which voice was whose, except for that it was female. _ I sense something powerful. _

_Proceed with caution_, Silmeria recommended. Alicia was already doing so. She shoved the door open, straining her back in the process. She was bruised and sore, but her intuition was speaking to her now. It said that this door was special, and it was placed here for her to pass through.

It slid open slowly with a moan of rusty hinges. Inside was another change in atmosphere. It was a circular chamber tinted blue by a crest of light that stretched over the entire floor, casting shadows up into the domed ceiling. The symbol was a detailed emblem formed of the strange characters she had seen in the halls, but that fact did not occur to her because of the broken form that laid sprawled face down in its center.

Despite her desperation to find him, she hoped that this poor, trampled creature was not Rufus. A matted and tangled mess of green hair covered his face. His body was naked and thin, covered in wounds that could easily be seen even at a distance and in the strange light. Breath held as if to release it was to release her last shred of hope, she started into the chamber.

"Stop!" Silmeria demanded and forced her to a halt. It took all of her strength to hold Alicia back, and she continued to beat her fists against the walls of their shared psyche.

_Let me go to him! _she cried. _Why are you doing this?_

Silmeria's eyes scanned the interior. "This isn't a dungeon," she said. "It doesn't have the reek of any prison..." The crest on the floor was none that Silmeria recognized. It certainly wasn't the lattice Lezard had constructed in use of the Sovereign's Rite. To test, she reached into Alicia's pouch and drew out a number of sunflower seeds the girl had been snacking on.

_What are you doing?_ Alicia begged to know, but Silmeria was not yet ready to deal with her hysteria. She tossed the seeds into the circle. There was a loud popping sound as the seeds exploded and their particles remained fixed in mid-air, held by veins of crackling blue energy. Tiny points of soft and comforting light, in contrast to that deadly spark, floated like snowflakes from the seeds. The remaining bits of seed turned grey and fell to the floor as dust, while the small lights flew to Rufus and were absorbed by his body.

"In lieu of the Sovereign's Rite," Silmeria explained as Alicia fell silent trying to discern the meaning of what she had seen, "he has developed this device which will steal the life out of any creature and direct it to Rufus. That means that our souls would have nowhere to go but into him. Those seeds had a small bit of life within them, but no consciousness to affect him. If we step inside, the effect will be much more dramatic."

_Can we destroy it?_

"Not without harming Rufus in the process..."

_I understand, please let me speak to him._

"If he can hear you," Silmeria agreed, and released her hold on Alicia's body.

Alicia knelt at the edge of the surface. Bowing her head close to the floor she could see his face behind a curtain of tangled hair. "Rufus," she called to him softly over the low hum of the magic circle. "Rufus, wake up, please!"

Rufus's eyelids moved but even this appeared to be a strain.

"It's me, Alicia," she said pleadingly, eyes begging for recognition. "We came to find you, please say something!"

"What..." he half-whispered and half-groaned. "What happened to us...?"

"I don't know," Alicia answered. They were only a number feet, perhaps a few yards from each other and still he was so far away.

Rufus's eyes slowly lost their focus and shifted away from her. "Lenneth," he groaned in a whisper. "She's not here. I can't hear her."

"Lenneth?" Alicia asked. "Please, Rufus--you have to reach for me now, I can't reach you!" she held out her hand as far as she could, but it did little to close the gap between them.

"We were together... in some kind of vat and it was cold." Alicia watched him frantically as he made no effort to reach out to her. Instead he pressed his eyes shut and winced. "He was there!" he cried out the weakness of his body. "He was inside of us..."

Alicia watched as he began to shake and curl up into himself in fear. "What are you talking about?" she begged him. "It's fine now! Everything will be okay!"

"Forget about it, Rufus!" Silmeria strictly commanded, taking control once more without warning. "Take my hand. Now!"

"No," Rufus said weakly. "Damn you for bringing her here! He wants to... to take you out of her, and then... what he'll do to her..." and then he was forcing air through his lungs, trying to scream and accomplishing little more than a hoarse raised voice. "Let me die, please, Silmeria!" Silmeria only watched with a pained and disappointed scowl as he writhed and scratched at himself and at the floor. His hands were mangled. With all the pain he was in, she wondered if he could even feel that he was injuring himself. "Kill me..."

_What's wrong with him?_ Alicia asked her. _He isn't himself at all!_

"His spirit has been broken just as much as his body," Silmeria explained. Her voice was startlingly calm.

Aliciawas disturbed enough for two. Rufus had been known to display uncontrollable emotions at times, anger particularly; but he had always been prideful to a fault and hesitant to admit the smallest insecurity. To see him weep openly and beg for death frightened her more deeply than her than any experience she had faced thus far, even her glimpse of the abyss. _ Silmeria, what **happened** to him?_

Silmeria cared not to think about it. It wasn't that she lacked sympathy, but she knew that Rufus couldn't be coddled right now, or he would never get up. She barked at him angrily. "You can kill yourself after I'm done with you, but if you don't get up right now, then Alicia will be the one to suffer for it!"

"Alicia?" Rufus mumbled, stumbling through sounds like a drunk man. Silmeria wondered just how coherent he was at the moment. He seemed to notice Alicia's presence for the first time all over again.

"Yes!" she stressed to him. "Without you, we have no hope of challenging Odin! Alicia will be hunted and killed--you could save her! You still have that potential, Rufus! Show me that you can do it!"

"None of that matters now..."

Alicia's eyes returned to their softer shape, sympathetic and pleading. "Please?" she asked him, holding her fingers. "I need you."

Rufus hesitated for a moment. His expression was blank, only semi-aware, lifeless and impossible to read. Then he pushed slowly, moving just an inch.

Alicia's eyes teared with joy. "Yes!" she cried, and stretched her hand as far as she could. "Just reach out to me and I will do the rest," she said to encourage him as he faltered. "Just come back to me, please, you are so close now--"

After what seemed like an eternity of crawling, the tips of her fingers touched his at last. She saw how broken they were, twisted into unnatural directions and swollen with infection. She grabbed him as carefully as possible and pulled. His body slid as she pulled and was that much closer to her. She clamped both hands around his arm and pulled him with all of her might. Thin as he had become, he was still heavy to her. She dragged him until he was outside of the circle and held her in his arms at last. His skin was cold and clammy like that of a corpse.

She cradled him and pushed his hair away from his face. Both eyes were blackened, one more pronounced than the other--an old wound and a new one. His delicate face was ruined. A warm tear fell from her cheek onto his, leaving a clean trail in the grime along the curve of his jaw.

_Quickly, heal him. He is in terrible pain._

Alicia had extreme difficulty summoning the most basic magic, her healing spell. Dead bodies she had seen--twisted and mangled corpses, but never one with the heart of her loved one still beating inside, his body marked with signs of torture and starvation. She could feel Silmeria's aggravation, but the valkyrie said nothing until Alicia was able to cast the spell. It was not like Silmeria to be angered by something so small. The only explanation was that she was moved by his condition as well. That brought Alicia a small comfort.

The healing spell worked, but it had a minimal effect on Rufus's battered body. His open cuts clotted and stopped bleeding, but his bones would have to be set and mended over time. The spell could do nothing for his state of mind either. He faded in and out. At one moment he was filled anguish and the next, completely empty. Alicia held him tightly and kissed his forehead, but he was still only partially aware that she was with him. "You're safe now," she said, "I won't let anyone take you again."

Silence returned as Alicia quieted herself and Rufus ceased his shaking. From above, they heard an explosion that shook the foundations of the tower. Alicia slowly turned her head up and held Rufus protectively to her breast.

_The battle isn't over_, Silmeria said. _Lenneth is very much alive... and so is Lezard._


	8. Requiem of a Predicament

**Chapter 8: Requiem to a Predicament  
**

- - -

Silmeria had to give Rufus credit where it was due for trying. Despite all he had been through, he managed to limp, using Alicia as support, through the winding corridors that laid before them. They reached another elevator where they rested. Alicia's small body was not adequately built to carry him, even if Rufus had lost significant weight.

All the while he mumbled in a stupor about Lenneth, only aware of Alicia's presence at all when she was calling out to him. She purred sweet, reassuring nonsense in his ears as they ascended the tower. The words hardly mattered, it was the sound of her voice that kept him with them. Silmeria was thankful for Alicia's presence particularly then, knowing that she would never be able to coo and coddle in such a way.

The elevator ratcheted to a halt. Once again, their environment changed abruptly. Here there were shelves of books, hundreds of volumes packed into a tiny study. There was natural fire light cascading over the surfaces of the room and even the scent of incense. A cushioned chair had been left out lazily in front of a wooden desk and there was a soft rug over the floor.

_It almost looks hospitable_, Silmeria noted as Alicia laid Rufus on his back on the carpeted. She removed her cloak and covered his frail body with it.

"Look a little closer," Alicia groaned. By the time this was said, Silmeria had already noticed the strange carvings, and the disturbing paintings decorating the room. Most were of female creatures of power. One in particular stood out to her. It was of a goddess, Freya perhaps (though it was an inaccurate image), being pulled by two giants. Around her wrists was a chain, presumably the chain of Gleipnir which Alicia had in her possession.

_If this is Lezard's idea of a fetish, then I have a very interesting gift for him._

Alicia was too busy fretting over Rufus to have heard her. She only looked up at the sound of shouts and screams--a female voice that she did not recognize. They were sounds of anguish, but not of pain.

Rufus's eyes widened at the noise. "She's there," he moaned, and clutched weakly at Alicia's sleeve. "You have to save her, Silmeria... She's your sister..."

"I am aware of that," Silmeria responded and snatched her arm away from him. She knew that he was more than under the weather, but didn't he have more sense than that? His sudden concern for Lenneth was puzzling. It seemed unnatural to her that Rufus, who loathed all gods in the service of Odin, would pine for Lenneth, loyal goddess of death.

"I'll be back soon," Alicia said, gently stroking his hair. "I promise. Don't worry." She planted a tender kiss against his forehead once more before rising from the floor. She unsheathed her sword and prepared herself for the worst. If this was Rufus's fate, then what would be Lenneth's?

Silmeria was stern and battle-ready for the same reasons. _Let's go._

- - -

Despite a relatively easy victory under the conditions she was given, Lenneth was at a loss. She held Lezard in her arms at her mercy, and yet could not kill him. She eased the tension in her arms holding him and composed herself. What had she become, a human? Lusting for revenge and gratification? She tasted salt in the wetness that coated her lips and knew that she was crying. Foul, despicable mage. He had planned even this, most surely.

"What is it you desire in return for the information I need?" she asked him calmly but forcefully, still sitting atop his chest with her hands firmly held around his throat.

A predictable answer. "Only you, Lenneth my dear, only you," he laughed. "I want you to be my own, to rule you and your heart."

Lenneth dropped him in disgust. His neck released, he fell against the floor underneath her with a thud.

She looked up as she heard the patter of a light-footed traveler in the tower. In her moment of distraction, Lezard cast a spell. By the time she took firm hold of him again, the spirits of ice and snow formed around her and began to nip at her bare skin. Frigid damsel was a familiar spell; she knew what to expect. She swatted at the frost fairies with her hands as they slashed into her shoulders and thighs, leaving crusts of ice and frozen blood on her skin.

At the same instance, Lezard pushed her as hard as he could, throwing her off of him. Lenneth scowled but chose not to gratify him with a cry of alarm. Just as well, she thought. She could no longer stand the sensation of him between her naked legs, and admitted that fact readily no matter how human it made her. He staggered to his feet and glared at her from behind broken glasses, his mouth wet with blood from his nasal injury and curled into a grin.

"What do you hope to achieve?" Lenneth asked in her proud, robust voice. She pointed the reclaimed pipe at him as if it had a razor sharp edge. "Throw magic about as you wish, you will not defeat me!"

"I do admit that my plans have been thrown off a great deal," he answered, "but true genius is adaptation."

The doors to the laboratory threw open. Behind them stood the figure of a girl holding a sword ready in her hands, legs spread apart in a fighting stance. She panted for her breath and there was a fury in her eyes that Lenneth could think of no match for. "Silmeria," she said aloud, but knew that the soul currently seeing through those eyes was not her sister.

"Lezard Valeth!" Alicia screamed.

Lezard glanced over to her with very little care. "How respectful of you to use my full name," he said. "But ah, Princess, aren't we friends? You needn't address me with such formality."

"How could you do this?" Alicia asked him desperately, her voice shaking. She approached him cautiously, and he made no attempt to move. The blade raised and pointed at his throat. Lenneth watched as the girl's arms shook with emotional upset. "How could you do that to Rufus? You monster!"

"Yes, I am a monster," he sighed. "That is quite clear. I will not make excuses. Your father may cry off for your forgiveness, Hrist and her dog may justify their sins with immortal law and lack of choice, but I will admit to my actions and that I alone am responsible for them. I did this for the heart of the woman I love."

Alicia looked to Lenneth who held herself up regally in silence, completely unashamed of her nakedness. As beautiful as her body was, there was need--but Alicia felt embarrassed simply to look at her. Her eyes quickly returned to Lezard. "_What_?" she gasped. "All of this... _all of this_... for _her_? For the love of a _valkyrie_?"

"You are too young and new to the endless depth of obsession that can claim a mortal's heart to understand this, Princess. But I vow that you will know one day..." A smile played on his lips as he nodded sagely. "You've already tasted it. Someday, you will know."

"I will never be like you," Alicia choked, biting back tears. Silmeria came forward and lifted her head, standing in the same stance as Lenneth. "Your words will not cut to _my_ heart, traitor. Prepare to meet Queen Hel!"

"We've been aquainted," Lezard chuckled. "I _am_ a necromancer, you know."

Silmeria shouted and thrust her sword forward. "Then you'll be quite comfortable in Nifleheim!"

"No," Lenneth said, raising her hand to stop Silmeria from pushing the blade into Lezard's heart.

Silmeria's eyes shifted to check the expression written on her sister's face. "You would spare him?" she sneered. "Lenneth Valkyrie, proud defender of Asgard would spare a heretic?"

"I need him alive," Lenneth sighed in frustration. "He has ensured his safety by hiding information that I require in order to save einherjar... perhaps my very world."

"I see," Silmeria responded. "He is a resourceful one, obviously."

She lowered her sword just a bit and reached with her free left hand to whip the enchanted chain from her belt. "Do you recognize this, oh wise one?" she asked him with a mocking lilt in her voice.

"You are a pleasure as always, Lady Silmeria," Lezard said in a dreamy sigh of breath, smiling at the relic in her hands. "Don't tell me... is this the chain of Gleipnir? Be careful, Lenneth may attempt to sacrifice your artifact to Odin in order to earn his favor!"

"Trust me," Silmeria said with a short laugh. "This world's Odin cares little for another world's Lenneth."

"And she for him," Lenneth added.

Lezard shrugged his shoulders apathetically, still paying little attention to his injuries, though from the way that he moved both valkyries could see that he was severely wounded and in no shape to fight. He held out his arms like a guilty criminal ready to face detention. "Take me away," he sighed. "And do be gentle."

Silmeria once again narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she approached Lezard with the chain. She wrapped it tightly around his arms with absolutely no care taken in being tender. When his arms were firmly bound together, she still had a length to pull him by.

"Walk, dog!" Silmeria demanded, and yanked on Lezard's chain. The mage stumbled forward but made no sign of objection.

- - -

Alicia allowed Silmeria to lead Lezard back through the lab. His presence unsettled her so greatly that she feared she may drop the chain, or that she may not be strong enough to hold him should he decide to fight back. Lezard was not nearly strong enough without his magic to try; but for so long she had been imagining him as a monster that it was difficult to look at him and see a man stripped of his power.

Lenneth followed, still walking proudly unaffected by modesty or pain. Her feet were riddled with glass and her body was covered in gashes that bled, but she showed no sign of suffering. Alicia stole glances at the valkyrie--a strange valkyrie who was neither her trusted ally as Silmeria was, or her sword enemy as with Hrist. Lenneth was beautiful, her body both elegant and curvascious. She could not fault Lezard for admiring her, but to love such a frigid woman was somehow inconceivable.

They re-entered the study where Rufus laid on the floor on his back unmoving. Alicia could just barely see the breath rising and falling in his chest, and it was the only thing to show that he was alive. His eyes remained half-lidded and staring empty at the ceiling even as the Lezard and Lenneth entered the room.

Lezard's voice pierced through her like a rusty dagger, making her crindge. "Ah, Sir Rufus! Glad to see that you've made a recovery!" He sounded so friendly and, just... _normal_.

"Do not speak to him!" Lenneth firmly commanded, emotion boiling over in her. Alicia was shocked to see the silver-haired valkyrie's face twisted in anger, moved so only by an offense towards Rufus.

Lezard chuckled. "It is too bad that my plan failed. He could have joined with a new spirit to replace the one that abandoned him."

"You tore me from him, bastard!" Lenneth said, her hands twitching as if she was fighting not to grab him by the neck. Alicia gasped to hear her use such a phrase; not because of the obscenity involved, but because suddenly she sounded somehow like Rufus. Even Lenneth herself appeared surprised. Lezard began to cackle loudly.

This sound, loud and grating as it was, was quickly overshadowed by another voice. Rufus had finally become aware of their presence, and his first reaction was to scream. Alicia's bones shivered at the sound of his coarse wail. It was the sound of pure, unsuppressed fear--as if the very sight of Lezard destroyed all of his ability to maintain control it, reducing him to a child.

Because Silmeria was still possessing her body, Alicia was unable to react. She wanted to hold him tightly until the sound stopped, but his screams persisted as Silmeria stood firm, frowning in annoyance and doing nothing more.

It was Lenneth her threw herself on the floor beside him as she wished to do. Alicia watched aghast as she lifted Rufus effortlessly into her arms, allowing his head to rest against her bare bosoms as she cradled him. "I am here," Lenneth said softly. "We are safe." It disturbed Alicia how Lenneth used the word "we" but even more how Rufus responded to her touch, curling up against her like a babe in his mother's arms.

Silmeria made an unsettled expression to this as well, which comforted Alicia a bit. _What is going on?_ she asked her. _Why is he... why would he respond to _her_ and not to me?_

Silmeria did not answer, but Lezard decided to speak again. "Uhg," he groaned in disgust. "Sir Rufus, do chin up. It's rather depressing to listen to you bawling like a woman lamenting her lost virginity whilst we plan our next move."

"Shut up!" Alicia shouted, not even aware that she had replaced Silmeria unconsciously. She yanked hard on Lezard's chain, but unfortunately the only effect of this was that Lezard came stumbling towards her uncontrollably. She pushed him back off and snarled at being made to touch him.

"You've gotten quite a bit stronger," Lezard complimented her with a chuckle. "I was so worried that you wouldn't have the strength to make it here." Alicia glared at him for that, her blue eyes shining with tears of stress. "I can't wait to see how your battle tactics have improved."

"Do you think that we will simply travel together again like before?" Silmeria asked next, regaining control. "You _are_ delusional."

"Take him to the dungeon," Lenneth said, only now returning her attention to any of them. Rufus had quieted down, but was still sniffling into Lenneth's breasts. "I must not kill him, but there is no reason to give him any comfort or company."

"Understood," Silmeria replied, and began to pull Lezard along once again.

_I want to stay with Rufus!_ Alicia objected. _Let Lenneth take him!_

"Lenneth needs to see to her own wounds as well as Rufus's," Silmeria replied firmly, but with a sympathetic undertone.

"Don't you trust dear Lenneth with him, princess?" Lezard mocked, speaking to Alicia.

"I told you it wouldn't work on me," Silmeria answered, and gave the chain a yank.

- - -

The walk through Lezard's tower down to the dungeon was less eventful than the trip up. The population of guardian creatures seemed to diminish in the presence of the tower's master. Silmeria hurried onwards regardless of danger, driven by Alicia's overwhelming concern for Rufus. Rufus meant everything to both of them in different ways; and though he lived, she wondered if he was truly with them still.

"I have some advice to impart onto you," Lezard spoke up, interrupting the silence that Silmeria was more than happy to maintain.

Silmeria responded firmly. "I am not interested in anything that you have to say." All she wanted to hear were their footsteps in the cold stone passages.

"Lady Silmeria, you know me well--in fact I'm sure you never trusted me at all, and as with Leone you were forced to remain quiet. The difference is that while you were familiar with Hrist's power, you severely underestimated mine. Still, I wasn't able to completely fool you, and so you must know that I would not speak up unless I had some ulterior motive."

"And that is exactly why I should gag you," Silmeria replied.

"Oh, but you see... you can trust that what I am about to say is of the greatest importance to you."

"All that I can trust is that you will attempt to manipulate and wile your way into gaining the upper hand, and I for one will not fall for it."

"Yet you have nothing to gag me with and so I shall speak," he continued. Silmeria groaned and began to look through Alicia's things for something with which to do just that. Lezard went on, ignoring this. "It would behoove you to take caution around this Lenneth. She comes from the future, as I so, and only cares about _her_ duty, protecting _her_ world."

"As do I," Silmeria replied. "Why should this alarm me?"

"Because her world is not yours," Lezard answered. "In the future that we hail from, Lenneth did not run into us in Dipan because I was not present. The mages completed the sovereigns rite, and when Brahms attempted to save you--you, Silmeria! You jumped from Alicia's body with reckless abandon to save your undead companion and were frozen by Freya in his place."

"I've heard enough of this nonsense."

"Brahms saved you, but he was unable to break Freya's seal. You remained in his watchful care as he hid in his castle until Lenneth's time. As for the princess and sir Rufus, they bravely carriedout your will without you, and died at the hands of Odin himself while in attempts to claim his power. An impressive end for two pathetic mortals, but one that I would not prefer to live out. That is the fate that she would write for you. That is the only way to restore her future."

Silmeria glanced back at him, allowing him just the faintest satisfaction in listening to him. "And preventing these events from coming to pass is to _your_ benefit... how?"

Lezard shrugged. "I want Lenneth," he said. "Give her to me, and I shall make each of you demi-gods under my divine law. I will free Brahms in return for your loyalty, and all of you can live out your happy lives together."

"No thanks," Silmeria groaned. "Being a minor goddess is enough work for me as it is."

- - -

Lezard let that be, seeking to plant the idea in the Silmeria's head. He allowed the valkyrie to lead him, noting the subtle difference between her and Lenneth's posture. Silmeria was more human--which made her harder to predict and more dangerous than Lenneth in many ways. Having her for himself would have been fun, but she failed to captivate him as Lenneth Valkyrie did. Perhaps it was the princess's plain body, almost offensive to the divine spirit it housed.

The thought of Rufus's face pressed against the naked breasts of his beloved valkyrie at this very moment annoyed him; but he was otherwise pleased with these developments. The jealous glare in the princess's eyes was enough to more than make up for the slight. It took all that he could to keep from rolling over with laughter.

He did not bother to lead them down the short route to the dungeon. He was dying to lie down and actually looked forward to being locked up at this point, but saying anything would only sound suspicious. He tried to amuse himself with some conversation on the way, but Silmeria was not biting.

"Did you have trouble finding me, Princess?" he asked Alicia, fully aware that she could hear though it was Silmeria who moved her body at present. "I am relieved that I did not hurt your feelings too badly. I lost sleep imagining how you must have cried at night."

Nothing. If Alicia was responding, Silmeria was keeping a firm grasp of her.

"Sir Rufus surprised me; he never once shed tears. Not until the end."

Silmeria twitched at that, and Lezard knew that such a reaction was not her habit. She must have been trying very hard to contain Alicia. Ah, the princess was so easy to read.

"He did everything he could to protect Lenneth and gave me no choice but to break him. He sacrificed everything for her. I never expected a halfling waif to give me any trouble, even if his defenses were negligible."

Her steps slowed, and Lezard was quite sure that it was the princess who led him now. "That's because," she said in her small, gratingly sweet voice. "Rufus is a good person."

"Good and bad are immature concepts," Lezard sighed. "We all are motivated by what gratifies us. Each of us serves ourselves. Even when we sacrifice for others, it is only because it makes us feel good to do so."

"I don't care how you choose to look at it," Alicia replied. She kept pacing ahead, never turning her face towards him. He was certain that she was crying. "If you hurt him again, I will kill you. Lenneth won't be able to stop me."

"That almost sounds like a challenge," Lezard answered.

They reached the prison level where it still stank of urine and waste. There were no lights except for a sparse few torches which barely made the way walkable. They threw him into the same cell where he had kept the ugly elf before she expired.

Alicia pushed him in and then tested the doors. He knew from experience that they were quite secure, not that he had any intention of escaping. "I hope to see you again soon," he said to Alicia as she drug herself out of the dungeon, letting her feet slide against the floor. The girl was in such a depression, it was almost cute.

Once she was gone, he laid on his back on the bare floor and began to fiddle with the chain around his arms. It was an amazing thing, this magic trinket. Given the time to research it, he could come up with a substitute for the Gods' whim to release the spell of binding, but there was no rush. Best he look helplessly contained for the time being.

He closed his eyes and let his mind drift away from the pain in his body, away from his broken nose and fractured forearm. A master of his own mind need never feel pain. He though of Lenneth's hair tied around his hand, and of the taste of her sweat--beautiful things that he had given her, and she would learn to appreciate. Slowly, but she would learn.

- - -

Alicia returned as quickly as her feet would carry her to the top floor again, where Lenneth had done some exploring on her own in her absence. She had located Lezard's bedroom, which like the study, was strangely normal until you took a closer look. There, she was able to find such items as clothing, bedding, and even a few medical supplies.

She had not moved Rufus, who laid flat against the floor in the study still covered only in Alicia's cloak. She knelt beside him, now wearing a shirt she had found in Lezard's wardrobe. Alicia wondered how she could stand to wear his clothing as she knelt across Rufus's body from her. She watched as Rufus, hardly conscious, closed his eyes as if he might go to sleep.

"The first order of business is to dress his wounds," Lenneth instructed. "His fingers need to be reset." She looked up at Alicia with a solemn expression. "I would ask for Silmeria's assistance in this matter."

"Of course," Alicia replied in a sorrowful tone, casting her eyes away in shame. "I can never do anything..."

Alicia's eyes quickly flitted back to Lenneth, now narrow and analytical. "Any other major injuries?" Silmeria asked Lenneth quickly.

"He has some fractures," she responded.

"Those should mend up after some treatment from Alicia's healing magic," Silmeria responded. From within her body, Alicia watched their exchange. It was so odd to see another valkyrie conversing with Silmeria. They had exactly the same seriousness. Of course, Lenneth's deep tone and regal manner of speech were a step even further past Silmeria's, almost more like Hrist's.

_What does she mean when she says reset his fingers?_ Alicia asked Silmeria, sheepish to speak up even from within her own body in the presence of that other valkyrie.

"We will need to realign his bones which have already healed to an extent. It is... quite painful."

_You're going to hurt him?_ Alicia responded frantically, not afraid to raise her voice to that. _Please don't! He's been through enough!_

"It's either do this or allow him to suffer pain for the rest of his life," Silmeria replied. "I am truly sorry. Please... don't watch."

_No, I won't look away!_

"It will only make you cry, Alicia."

Lenneth prepared for the operation while observing Silmeria's discussion with her vessel. "Let her look on," she said without a hint of emotion showing on her face. "A battle-ready healer should know this procedure."

Silmeria sighed. Her older sister was absolutely right. If Alicia was ever to become stronger, then Silmeria would have to refrain from protecting her. "Forgive me, Rufus," she said, and placed her hand gently over her battered friend's forehead.

- - -

By the time it was over, Alicia was crying as anticipated. She was so upset that tears streamed from her eyes even when it was Silmeria who looked through them. Rufus was panting still, having screamed himself hoarse again. "It's over now," Silmeria said, feeling it right to comfort him this time. "It's all over, it's okay."

She watched as Lenneth lifted his head into her lap and began to brush his hair using a comb found in Lezard's living space. She hoped very seriously that it belonged to whatever eccentric noble person had originally built this tower and not Lezard himself. Lenneth still had much to learn of such subtleties concerning human pride. Thankfully, Rufus was still too far from fully aware to notice either way.

His emerald mane which had been so lovely before was now an atrocious mess. Lenneth, whose hair was even longer and fuller, must have somehow remembered how to care for it. Silmeria vaguely recalled the feel of her sister's long silver hair as she combed through it, though she was unable to place when or where this had happened. It was one of those things that had been wiped from her memory several times over with each use of the Sovereign's Rite. She pulled her hand into a fist and cursed at Odin in her thoughts, in a place where not even Alicia could hear it.

"Alicia," Lenneth said.

Silmeria was relieved from duty by Alicia, who was still whimpering and sniffling up tears when the valkyrie caught her attention. "Yes?" she replied.

"The next thing to do is clean and mend his skin wounds. We need to bathe him," she said, and her eyes grazed across the room to an open door. "There is a stone tub within the next room. If you could heat some water and bring it there, I will prepare Rufus."

"Okay," Alicia replied, and stood. She knew that Lenneth was only assigning her this simple chore to make her feel as if she were useful, but was happy to have her hands busy with something at least. She stood and turned to leave the room.

Rufus's voice croaked as she exited and she stopped and listened to hear him, pressing herself against the outside of the door. "Lenneth," he said. "Where are you?"

Alicia cast her eyes down at the floor and quickly left, covering her face with her hand.

Lenneth watched Alicia leave so quickly and her eyes narrowed in dismay. "I am here," she sighed. "Can you not feel me pulling at your hair?"

"Nuh-uh," he croaked. "Just... cut it all off."

"No, that is hardly necessary," she groaned. "Please, have some faith. We will return you to your normal self."

"I don't want Alicia to see me this way," he said, and pressed his eyes shut tightly. "Keep her away..."

"That would be cruel," Lenneth replied.

"Don't let her look at me..."

Alicia ran to the end to the hallway and thew the doors closed behind her.

- - -

Finding something that resembled a kitchen in this insane maze of dak hallways was even more difficult than finding Rufus had been. There was one, but it had gone unused since long before Lezard's arrival here to the tower. Everything was broken, strewn about, and covered in dust and cobwebs.

Alicia coughed as she disturbed the rest of a large pot and dust filled her lungs. It was a heavy, ancient thing that she could barely lift. She set it underneath a pump and began to move the lever. At first the water was black and gross, but as she pumped it became brown and then a rusty red. Finally it was clear, and good enough for her. She reminded herself that if the water came to a full boil, it should be clean enough to wash Rufus's wounds.

She struggled even more to lift the put into the oven, which was little more than a hole in the wall. After spilling a great deal, she pumped more into smaller cups and topped it off that way. Next she looked for fuel and something with which to light a fire, but to her surprise there was a magic ember still in the oven from previous use. It was the sort that they would have used in Dipan, a convenience granted by the three mages.

Once the water was on its way to getting very hot, she dusted off a creaky chair and sat in it to wait for it to boil. Without anything to busy her hands with, she began to think more than she would have liked to.

"What did Lezard do to him?" Alicia asked.

Silmeria gave in now that she was in the proper setting to take hard news, and explained. _He has been broken in every sense: mind, body, and soul._

"But what does that _mean_?" Alicia asked. "You don't think he would have done something as horrible as... as _rape_ him, do you?"

_I doubt that is the case, not because I doubt Lezard's potential for cruelty; but because he would not lower himself to such an act. What he has done may be worse, however. It appears that Lenneth and Rufus have become bound._

"Bound?"

_I... have tried to protect you from becoming too dependant on me..._

Alicia frowned at Silmeria's tone, which was uncharacteristically remorseful . "I don't understand."

_Lezard has stripped Rufus of his ability to exist alone. This prevents me from training him to aquire the knowledge of the gods. It also puts a strain on you, I would imagine._

"A _strain_?" Alicia repeated, aghast at the understatement.

Silmeria remained silent for a moment. Alicia received the impression that her valkyrie companion was withholding something. As much as she hated it when Silmeria kept secrets, she had never blamed her for it. _Be careful to remain objective_, she said finally. _Otherwise... your heart may be misled._

Alicia still did not understand, but their conversation ended there. To pass the time, she decided to clean the place up and make it ready for food preparation. Next on Lenneth's list of things to do would likely be a meal of some sort.

- - -

In the washroom there was a magic-infused lantern that cast bright, clean light onto the walls. This room, unlike all the others, seemed as pristine and clinically bare as the others might have been once.

Together, Silmeria and Lenneth placed Rufus into the tub. His head rested at the rim of it, and his hands which were now bandaged in splints hung over the sides. Lenneth pulled Alicia's cape away from his body like a drape. Alicia's eyes instantly flitted away in embarrassment; but slowly she summoned the courage to look again. The lower half of his body was hidden by the tub, but this was nothing to be relieved about. His nudity was not at all unsettling in comparison to what she saw. Here in the light, she could see the welts on his skin, the festering wounds, and the dark purple bruises. She could clearly see each of his ribs from where he had been nearly starved.

"I'll kill him," Alicia said in a small, almost whimpering voice, covering her mouth. "I will go down there and kill him, I really will--"

_Calm down,_ Silmeria interjected. _Wouldn't killing him be too swift for justice?_

"I'm going to need as much water as you can bring," Lenneth said. Alicia had brought up one of the large pots and had put another on to heat while helping Lenneth to help lift Rufus safely enough not to make his injuries worse.

"O-of course," Alicia said, and hurried out of the room again.

Lenneth waited until she was gone and looked back to Rufus with a frown. "Are you quite happy?" she said in slight annoyance. He seemed not to hear her.

She gently placed her hand underneath his chin and lifted his face towards the ceiling. The look in his green eyes was glazed and unexpressive. With her other hand, she dipped the cup into the warm pot of water and poured it slowly over his hair. It pooled at the bottom of the tub, stained to a deep rust color with grime and dried blood.

Rufus pressed his eyes closed and then opened them again, furrowing his eyebrows at some distant thought. Lenneth smiled just slightly at this expression of emotion, though it was a pained one. She poured on another cup. Once his hair was wet throughout, she added a bit of soap found in the cupboards into it and worked the lather into his scalp. Even the white foam grew rich brown with the sediment still sticking to him.

"Lenneth," Rufus said. Lenneth strained to hear his broken voice. "Isn't it... demeaning... for a goddess to do this?"

"Truthfully, it is," she replied. "But... perhaps I am still accustomed to thinking that your body is mine as well."

- - -

Rufus was washed and then dressed by Lenneth while Alicia went about other tasks such as creating a spot for him to rest that wasn't in Lezard's bed. That Lenneth had the nerve to suggest such a thing was enough to enrage her.

_Calm down_, Silmeria berated her. It was unusual that Silmeria would need to pester Alicia for being rash rather than the opposite. _Lenneth has never lived with humans. Her human memories are sealed away. She does not understand why that would be unacceptable._

"I can't even stand the sight of him in Lezard's clothing," Alicia pouted. "Horrible... it's just horrible!"

Silmeria inwardly sighed and gave up on being rational with the princess. Alicia did calm down despite her protests, and entered the study again. It seemed the least upsetting room for Rufus to rest in. He was sleeping on a pallette Alicia had made for him out of clean bedding dressed in a white shirt with a bit of frill on the front and dark violet pants, both much too small for him.

Lenneth stood in just one of the shirts of a similar style. It reached past her hips like a night gown. "I was unable to find his clothing," Lenneth said. "But I did find these." She opened her palm to Alicia, revealing a fist full of multi-colored beads. "They are his, are they not?"

"Yes," Alicia answered. "They are..."

Lenneth looked at her blankly. "What do you suggest I do with them? He tells me he does not want them, but he is not in his right mind."

"He... he spoke to you?" Alicia asked, feeling a pang of jealousy and then guilt. She should be happy that Rufus spoke to anyone. "I uh... I suppose you should keep them. Maybe you could put them on a cord for now to keep track of them?"

"I will do that," Lenneth replied. "How are you feeling? Your journey was long, and these events have been strenuous. Please rest."

"I'm fine," Alicia answered, though it was a bold lie. Her eyes itched to be given a rest, she was so sleepy. "You're the one who was injured."

"Lezard gave me only light flesh injuries," Lenneth explained in a deep voice, expressing her disgust clearly. "He would not seriously damage the body he created, after all..."

"What do you mean?" Alicia asked. "What exactly happened?"

"I suppose we should sit," Lenneth started, sounding unsure of herself. She did so, folding her legs underneath herself. Alicia joined her, and she began to explain. "This body was constructed by Lezard. It has the same physical attributes as a half-elf. It is a vessel, but one without its own original soul.

"Like the thing... that sad thing that had Silmeria's shape..."

"Yes," Lenneth said sagely.

She continued to tell Alicia all of what had transpired. As Alicia listened to Lenneth, she came to see that despite her lack of experience in the mortal world, the valkyrie was quite compassionate towards her einherjar, and to Rufus in particular. Her voice and the words that she used always became either soft or full of pride when she began to talk about them.

"Lenneth," Alicia asked timidly. "Do you know anything about Silmeria?"

"What do you mean?"

"About how she was before," Alicia continued, lacing her fingers together. "Never mind. You don't have to answer that. I was just... curious."

"Sadly, I cannot remember," Lenneth sighed. "I was unaware that she even existed until I fought Brahms..."

Alicia tried to hide her shock, but as always it was a poor act. This meant that at least a portion of Lezard's story was true. Lenneth noticed her upset, but passed it off as an unpleasant menion of Silmeria, for whom she was so concerned.

Alicia inched closer to Rufus, who occasionally mumbled and tossed about in hsi sleep. "The four of us are now bound to Lezard," she said quietly.

"You should sleep," Lenneth insisted once more.

This time Alicia took her advice, rolling over onto her side only a few feet from Rufus. She cared not to think of what tomorrow would bring, but only that at least he was safe for the time being.


	9. Soon We See Shadow and Light

**Chapter 9: Soon We See Shadow and Light**

_Notes: Haven't updated in a while, sorry. This chapter is really long, still takes place in the tower, and it has more blahdy blah about Rufus's perdicament and how Alicia feels about it without a whole lot of Lezard or Lenneth. The next chapter should take a significant turn. Hopefully it won't take me two months to write it!_

* * *

Up until this point in time, Rufus had always considered his tolerance for pain to be very high. It was the boost this notion gave to his ego that kept him going even when the elves had taken the ring off of his finger for a few moments just to show him just how it would be if he ever crossed the gods. For his sake, they said. To teach him. He liked to snicker behind their backs and think to himself proudly that they were more correct than they ever could know, because it made him stronger.

It wasn't until this exact moment that he realized how naive he had been all along. There was a long time (or, at the least, it seemed very long) during which his spirit had been so utterly obliterated that the physical pain was secondary to the trauma of his mind and soul. Silmeria had been doing something with his hands, and he could hear himself screaming, but it was all like noise in another room. He felt as if all the while he had been standing by, watching in disgust as Alicia coddled this pathetic broken shell of a human being.

Oh, but it wasn't like that anymore.

He awoke in more kinds of pain that he knew could exist at one time without killing a man. He naively thought once that his hands couldn't possibly feel any worse, and since he had gotten used to the feeling of them, that he would at the very least be able to sleep knowing that at least his hands could not possibly hurt any worse. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

That was the first thing that struck him and he winced, shifting on the neat little pallete that Alicia made from spare bedding. She had to be sleeping right beside him, of course.

Moving made it so much worse. He managed not to scream, he knew better than to do so. Not only would this rouse Alicia and injure his pride to match the rest of him; filling his lungs with that much air made his chest ache like nothing else short of having that cursed ring ripped off.

He bit into his lip and blew a sharp breath through his nose. Alicia stirred but did not wake up. He dared to tilt his head to look at her; it was worth a shot at least. Fortunately his neck wasn't broken (or unfortunately he thought, since at least if it was then he would be paralyzed and thus unable to feel the rest of him) and he was able to turn his face towards her.

She looked well, and this filled him with the first sense of relief he could remember feeling. Her cheeks were still round and the fingers curled up near her face were still a healthy color, a little pink on the knuckles. She had not wanted for food, had not run into frostbite or sickness, and she had not grown and horrible calluses from swinging her sword to often.

She left a candle lit not far away, and he did not blame her. He would not want to be left in the dark in this place either. The room was plenty disturbing without the addition of darkness. He chose not to let his eyes wander the walls and instead only watched her.

The little details still were there, the things that he had silently admired for so long while trying to convince himself that he did not like them at all. The way her hair was not quite blonde, the length of her eyelashes, how her lips parted just slightly when she slept; this managed to distract him from the pain for just a moment.

But the intensity of it was difficult to put off for long. His body was exhausted and yet he could not imagine sleep for how it hurt. He was so incredibly hungry, but he was sure he would vomit anything that he attempted to eat. Lenneth had given him some clean water--quite a treat after so long drinking stagnant puddles--but nothing to eat. He was hungry enough to pine for even Alicia's horrible cooking.

And still his hands were persistent. Finally he could not hold it in and groaned, trying to muffle the sound as best as he could.

It was a failure though; Alicia awakened immediately. She jumped up as quickly a startled cat, and then the grogginess caught up with her and she swayed a bit. Her eyes were dark and puffy. "Rufus," she said, leaning over him. "You're awake..."

"Yeah," he answered. It was futile to tell the worrisome girl to go back to sleep, so he did not bother to try. Without any idea of what to ask her, he said, "Are you all right?" It was so ridiculous to hear himself ask this of someone else while in this shape.

"I'm fine," she replied. "Nothing bad happened to me."

"You're lucky," he replied gruffly. "You shouldn't have come here."

He expected her to look hurt. It was partly his intention to ward her off. Instead, and this surprised him greatly, her eyes narrowed and she frowned. Her sleepiness was gone. He might have mistaken this for Silmeria's posture, but it was Alicia who spoke. "I don't want to hear it," she said firmly.

There was not a thing he could think of to respond to that, and he fell into a silence, completely taken aback. As she straightened herself he noticed that she had grown a bit more muscular, though he couldn't determine if it was during the time they were apart or if he had simply never noticed it before.

"Where does it hurt the most?" she asked.

It took a full three seconds to choose. "My hands," he answered.

Alicia said nothing more, and gently lifted his left hand and placed it on his chest. Then she did the same with his right, placing them close to each other. It hurt when she moved him, but slightly less than if he tried to move them himself, he believed.

She placed her hands over his and closed her eyes. He knew this routine; they had gone through it many times before. Not only Alicia, but sometimes one of Silmeria's einherjar would heal the injured. It was always awkward being touched like this, but after a while he had grown to enjoyed being healed--most especially if Alicia was doing the healing.

This time, as he looked down at her hands on his, he wanted nothing more than to cower away. He did not wish for her to touch him, for anyone to touch him. He grit his teeth as her delicate fingers touched his skin, touched his hands which were covered in bandages. He saw that his wrists had become so bony that they were nearly the same size as hers, and wished to cover them; but the sleeves of the shirt did not reach because the garment was too small--because it belonged to someone smaller than him. Her hands touched him, and her power reached deeply into him; she pushed into him with her soul.

He sat up with a sudden burst of energy that caused Alicia to gasp, pushing his arms forcefully to his sides. "That's enough!" he said loudly, shocking her even more. She backed away, eyes wide and shaking as she seemed to have trouble deciding whether to scold him or to cry. "It feels fine," he said in a softer tone, trying to brush it off. He raised his hands and looked at them. They were throbbing dully now, which was a vast improvement. "Thanks."

Alicia looked away, obviously hurt; but he would do nothing to repair the damage. He grimaced and mimicked the motion, turning his head in the opposite direction.

There was a long pause between them, one which was only interrupted by a sharp stab against his hip. He shouted loudly and turned his head up to see Lenneth standing near him, her bare foot digging into his side. Seeing that it was her, he frowned. "Have you been there all along?"

"Yes," she answered. As usual, Lenneth's face was unreadable. He was completely unsure whether this was Lenneth's idea of a joke, or some kind of punishment. "You have the look of a drenched cat," she said matter-of-factly, as if insult was not at all intended. "I can bruise you so easily. This must be remedied."

Rufus fell against his makeshift bed, defeated. He did not give an answer. He only looked at the back of Alicia's head which she still turned to him, hiding her face.

- - -

It was Lenneth's intervention that broke the awkward silence, and also her suggestion that led them all back to sleep. As Alicia laid awake but still and silent enough to fool Rufus, she thought that it was most likely the Valkyrie's intention.

At least he had spoken, she told herself. That was good enough.

Alicia did fall asleep again, but not for long. She was growing accustomed to short nights and long days. There was absolutely no food in this place, and not enough for three people in her supplies. If she wanted to feed the others, she would need to forage outside the tower.

Lenneth watched silently as the princess inhabited by one of her valkyrie counterparts prepared to do something rather unsuiting of either royalty or divinity. She equipped herself with the proper tools and prepared to hunt.

"The chain Silmeria placed on Lezard," Lenneth asked as Alicia wound a length of rope around her belt, "how exactly does it work?"

"It will only release if a god wills it to," Alicia replied.

This caused Lenneth to think silently, and she looked very grave as she did so. "I understand. One of us must stay in the tower to watch Rufus as well as guard the necromancer. I cannot imagine any gods who would willingly release him; nevertheless, it is possible. I thought that with the acquisition of a bow I might help you hunt."

"That's okay," Alicia replied. "You should stay here. Your body isn't what you're used to, so you should rest too. I have some of Silmeria's einherjar within me still."

"Ah yes," Lenneth answered, rare warmth in her voice. "I tend to forget that you are a functioning valkyrie despite your mortal form."

Alicia knew that no offense was intended, but she would rather not be referred to as Silmeria's mortal form. It wasn't as if Lenneth could help how she worded things. "Yes, and..." she looked down at the floor as a fond memory entered her mind, of a time she and her friend had stolen away from the others, both trying very hard to beg the ones to catch dinner that night, trying so hard to prove themselves. "Rufus taught me how to set traps to catch game."

A smile from Lenneth. "I am certain you will be fine, in that case."

- - -

Once Alicia was gone from the tower, everything was strangely quiet. Lenneth knew this place, had been here before. It was a few hundred years older in her time, but very little was different about it. Lezard had the same taste in decoration regardless of the time period he was in. She cared not to explore, and kept mainly to the bedroom and the den.

A window in the bedroom gave her a clear view for an incredible distance, but the dying world of Midgard was not a pleasant sight. How long would it take? A matter of months? Her body was now of this world, and how the decay of it would affect her, she could only speculate.

She expected the transition to humanity to be more taxing. Sleeping and eating were things the gods would only do for show, and she never took part in them. Yet, despite her lack of experience, these things seemed natural and familiar. She began to hope that Alicia would bring back some fruit, and if she could have her pick, then it would be an apple. She could not recall eating one, yet she longed to have one. Fruit was not something Alicia would likely find in this landscape in any case.

Rufus's progress was slow. At times, like the previous night, he would seem almost himself. He would make bitter jokes at his own expense. Otherwise, he would just lie there and pretend to be asleep, hoping that no one would speak to him. Even his conversations with Lenneth were short where they had once kept each other alive by sharing their thoughts. He refused Alicia's treatments even when the relief of her magic wore off.

"Try and eat this," Lenneth said, sitting down beside him. She held her palm open just under his nose. There were a few seeds already shelled for him in her hand. Rufus grimaced, looking almost cross-eyed into her hand so close to his face, expressing a strong aversion to the idea. She frowned in return. "Eat something, vomit until you can hold it down, and get it over with. Otherwise when Alicia makes food, you will not be able to hold it in."

"Better to be sick while she's out I guess," Rufus sighed in agreement. She held them right up to his mouth so that she hand was against his lips. He gave her an indignant glance upwards but conceded to being hand-fed. "New half-elf attraction at the petting zoo," he said.

"You should tell jokes when there is someone around who enjoys your humor," Lenneth replied.

There was no smart comeback from the half-elf attraction. Rufus simply chewed as well as he could, and then expelled every last grain despite his efforts.

- - -

It was freezing out. Alicia expected the hunt to go poorly once she realized just how cold it was, but the animals were just as confused as the ex-princess. She was able to catch a wild hen, a poor flightless bird unable to escape the weather. It was a large enough animal to feed three people.

As much as Alicia had grown used to fighting, killing animals was still not something she would take lightly. She caught only what they would eat before it could go bad. It was hypocritical she supposed, since she had always eaten food offered to her at the castle, and their ways of preparing meat had to be the most wasteful of all people in Midgard.

_We must hurry_, Silmeria explained. _There are a few options to consider, but I forsee problems with every course._

"I agree about the hurrying part," Alicia replied. "Every day I expect the sky to fall down, and that'll be the end of it." She sighed, then wished she hadn't taken such a deep breath of the cold air. It made her lungs burn. The breath she released was misty in the cold. "What options are you talking about?"

_One: Rufus becomes a god. Obviously Lezard has placed a large barrier in our path in this respect. If Rufus is so dependent on Lenneth and so broken in his own spirit that he cannot even stand to be healed by you--_

Alicia whimpered at that mention. "It's my fault," she said. "I'm sure it's just my fault."

_It's Lezard's fault_, Silmeria responded with firm strictness. _Rufus is still viable, but his recovery will take time that we do not have._

"What else can we do?"

_If we could aquire the Dragon Orb, then all would be as it should. But, Rufus said it best himself, it would be like single-handedly starting Ragnorok and expecting to win._

"Even if you weren't with me, you couldn't do that, could you?"

_If I weren't with you_, I would stand a poor chance at all, Silmeria replied. _It's because of you that Hrist stayed her hand._

"What about the gods, anyway?" Alicia asked, shivering in a cold wind that kicked up. "Are they still looking for us?"

_I have no doubt_, Silmeria responded. _But considering how lucky we were to discover Lezard's location, I doubt they have any idea of where to look. And with the Dragon Orb in Odin's possession, I am sure there is no rush to put down an errant valkyrie._

"So aside from Rufus's potential or retrieving the orb, what else is there that we can do?"

_If we were to reclaim Brahms, his soul would act as a suitable pillar to hold Midgard in place. However... Midgard would never regain peace and prosperity. Wars would rage constantly; there would be no time of peace. Famine and disease would spread. _

"But at least Midgard would exist," Alicia finished for her, predicting exactly what she would say. "Would Brahms really help us? He is the lord of the undead..."

_Brahms would give his soul to help us_, Silmeria replied. The depth of remorse in her tone startled Alicia. _He has been my companion ever since the day I vowed to resist Odin to my last breath. _

"But how can one of the undead be..." Alicia trailed away, unsure of how to word it. She could only remember Dallas's body writing in pain, his veins pulsing as his blood turned black. He was only a monster with the vague shape of a man she once loved as a boy now.

_Brahms was an einherjar. He chose to break his ties to the gods of his own will, and thus became undead. However... the decay does not reach his mind and spirit. He is not the man he once was, and neither is he a monster. _

"I don't know if I understand, but I'll trust you," Silmeria replied. "If he and Dylan were together all along... and Dylan was always very kind to me... I want to save him, too."

_The problem in this plan is that he is now in the possession of Odin as well. _

"There is nothing we can do, is there?"

_There is one last thing, _Silmeria said, and her voice grew grave and dark. _I could serve as this world's pillar. Both Lezard and Lenneth told us that this occurred in their world, and it worked._

Alicia stopped completely in her tracks and raised her voice to herself. Birds flew from the trees overhead. Better that they seek less affected areas in any case. "What are you talking about?" she asked frantically. "In one of those horrible crystals? Are you serious?"

_It could be done_ Silmeria replied. _Without risking life or limb in a trip to Asgard. I would have to be removed from your body, and then you could use a photon to contain my spirit. Then I would act as the pillar, and Midgard would be safe... at least from immediate destruction._

"Don't even say something like that!" Alicia shouted. "Even if you could leave my body again, what am I supposed to do without you?"

_Your mission will be to strengthen Rufus and carry on with the original plan._

"You say that like I'm one of your einherjar, and I'm just supposed to accept that and do whatever you say! I will not let you do that to yourself!"

_Calm down. It's only a suggestion. If it comes to a point that Midgard would die anyway, I don't see what it would matter. You could always come save me once Rufus is a god. _The last part was Silmeria's idea of a joke, but Alicia was not amused--not in the least.

"What if Rufus doesn't want to become a god?" Alicia retorted. She jerked her balled fists, causing the hen's carcass she carried by a length of rope to bob as if it was angry at something as well. "What if I don't want to make him carry that kind of responsibility after everything he's gone through because he got mixed up with us--and all because you had to use him as your back-up plan!"

_Alicia--_

Alicia dropped everything that she was carrying. Tears stung in her eyes as the hot, salty water quickly turned to frost in the freezing wind. "I'm tired of being used by you!" she shouted. "I'm tired of everyone I love being destroyed because of your rebellion! How dare you threaten to leave me after all that you've done?"

_Alicia, please calm down. You will attract monsters to our position._

Alicia was panting. She quieted herself and sobbed without making noise for a few minutes more. Finally, she regained her wits. "I'm sorry, Silmeria," she said. "I... I didn't mean what I said."

_I know. It is selfish of me to suggest I sleep while forcing you to carry on alone, but you must to understand. We must save Midgard. At all costs. Or else those kind people who have helped up on our journey will suffer and die. For that I would sacrifice myself, I would force Rufus to shoulder a great burden when he is the last person to deserve it, and I would leave you alone to suffer with the fate my very existence has written for you. Because it must be done. Because it may be our only hope of saving this world. It would be much more selfish for me to through away the lives of millions in order to spare only those people who I love the most._

"I know," Alicia replied, and lifted the dead animal once more. "I would do the same. If it meant that I could just change the world... even just a little... I wouldn't care what happened to me."

_Please don't say that, _Silmeria answered. Alicia felt it strange that she would object after all that she said. _I am proud to hear it, but it makes me sad all the same._

"Could there be any other option?" Alicia asked as she continued her journey back to the tower. "Anything at all."

_There is Lenneth. _Silmeria said.

"You're not thinking that we should stick her in a crystal, are you?" Alicia asked in alarm. Would Silmeria do that even to her own sister? If it had to be done.

_No, _she answered. _Although... it would keep her away from Rufus._

"Do you think that I'm jealous?" Alicia laughed. There was a bitterness in her laughter that exposed the fact that on some level she most certainly was.

_I merely believe that her presence is detrimental to his recovery._

"Well, I'm not jealous," Alicia clarified. "I've already got you in my head, I don't need to share a body with Rufus too. That would drive me absolutely insane."

_Ha... I hate to be so crass, but I can't help but point out that there is more than one way for a man and a woman to share their bodies._

Alicia tripped over a root and stumbled right to her knees. "Don't say such terrible things!" she scolded the valkyrie. Her face was completely red, more than could be attributed to the cold. "You are despicable sometimes!"

_It is part of my job._

- - -

Not an hour later, Alicia found herself once more in the tower's hidden kitchen. It felt so strange treating this disturbing place like a home. She wished that she could whisk Rufus away to a nice town where he could rest in a real bed and be treated by a doctor in lieu of her magic. It was impossible to escape this place even with Lezard safely locked away, however. Rufus in his current condition would never survive the journey. Especially not in the freakishly cold weather.

_Lezard must have fed himself somehow... _Silmeria thought aloud. _Perhaps it's hidden in a storage area we haven't found yet._

"I don't want to look," Alicia scoffed. "Let's see. I found some wild onions, and a little bit of an herb. It should be okay. I just wish I knew how to cook."

_It isn't one of my skills._

Alicia put one of the heavy pots over the fire. "Maybe if I cook the onions a bit first? I seem to remember them browning them before adding the water."

_Yes, and they added some flour as well to make it thick. Do we have any flour?_

"No... but if I grind some of the seeds well enough, maybe it'll form some kind of starch? I don't know... how is flour made, anyway?"

_Don't expect me to know. I'm a valkyrie, not a miller's daughter._

"It can't hurt..."

_Aren't you supposed to remove the bones from the chicken?_

"No, I'm pretty sure you put it all in! The extra parts are what makes the broth, right?"

_I think broth is made from the excess after the fact..._

"Ooh!" Alicia cried in frustration. "We have to just do it and hope that it works!"

- - -

A fire crackled in the study which had, up until the day before, belonged to Lezard Valeth. It was pleasantly warm, but the sharp light from the fireplace cast all sorts of disturbing shadows on the walls.

While Alicia made their dinner, Lenneth prepared a place for Rufus to eat. She cleared the desk piled high with books and papers by pushing everything into the floor and kicking it into a corner. She threw a statue of a goddess constrained by a snake against the ground. It did not give her the satisfaction of shattering, but its head did break off and roll under a shelf far from sight.

She helped Rufus into the chair in front of the desk. It was a comfortable looking piece of furniture. He gave no objection. Well, no objection about the chair at least.

"What the Hel am I wearing?" he grumbled as he got a good look at his clothing.

"Please do not be so childish," Lenneth scolded. "They were clean garments. Be grateful that you are no longer naked."

"As long as you're forced to wear them too," he sighed. The idea of wearing Lezard's shirt and pants was sickening, but he was too weak to pull them off. His hands were completely useless. He would be lucky to undo the first button. "Gods can only guess what he's done in these clothes," he hissed. "Could have been wearing this exact shirt when he--"

"I demand you stop pondering this irrelevant nonsense," Lenneth said loudly. "If you must, at least do it silently."

"I will," Rufus answered obediently.

It was then that Alicia entered the room. She carried a tray with her, one that had to be older than the kingdom of Dipan. On it was a pair of bowls, just as old and rusted. Steam rose from them, along with a deliciously meaty aroma.

And on her face she wore such a bright smile despite everything. In spite of his rudeness towards her, and the fact that her parents were dead, and that they were stuck here in this horrible tower, and even with the world dying, she still smiled a pleasant little smile.

"I tried my best," she said sweetly. "I hope that it's good."

Lenneth nodded in approval. "Please save mine," she said. "Right now, I should like to bathe. The stink of this flesh has been bothering me for some time now."

Alicia turned her eyes down, her smile gone. "Is mortal flesh so bad?"

"It isn't the fact that it is mortal," Lenneth explained. "In fact, I am surprised by how similar it feels to a god's body. No, I simply wish to was the presence of Lezard Valeth from the pores of this skin he has created."

"Oh," Alicia replied, somehow relieved by that. The strangest things had a tendency to make her feel better. "I understand. Go to it. We can always heat up the soup again if it goes cold."

Lenneth nodded again, this time in agreement, and disappeared into the other room. Rufus wondered how she could expect to wipe his essence off by bathing in a tub where he had no doubt washed himself. The very thought of Lezard made him want to vomit, and not entirely because of disgust. Every time the name was raised, he could feel cold hands on his back digging into his body and piercing his heart. His breath constricted as if the mage had a lung in each hand and was squeezing them.

Alicia placed the steaming bowl in front of him and smiled again with charming loveliness. Just enough to push the smirking demon who hid behind wide round lenses out of his mind. "Here you are," she said, forcing a chipper attitude.

He could see the fear and worry on her face though she tried to hide it. His eyes fell from her face to the bowl of stew in front of him and took a deep breath. It smelled wonderful. "Thanks," he muttered, while wondering to himself how she expected him to eat it with his hands in such a state, fingers wrapped in gauze and tied to splints.

She kept the spoon and dipped it into the broth where she found a chunk of soft vegetable and raised it in front of his face. "Here," she said, and smiled weakly. "Eat up...?"

Rufus frowned and cast his eyes away. "No," he said. "Don't feed me like that."

Her eyes flashed with a bottled-up emotion as she lowered the spoon. "Please," she said. "You must eat..."

"I know but--" he grumbled in frustration. "Can you get me a... a straw or something? Or tie the spoon to my wrist? I don't want you doing it for me."

The spoon returned to the bowl. Alicia dropped her hands to her lap and she turned her head away. Rufus glanced back to her and saw that she was on the verge of tears. That wasn't what he had meant to do at all. "I only want to help you," she said in a small, shaking voice. "Don't you... trust in me?"

"That isn't what I meant at all," he retorted angrily, then sucked in a deep breath in frustration. "It's just... embarrassing."

"But you would allow Lenneth--"

"Lenneth," Rufus interrupted, "she's... different." Alicia's eyes flitted away again. He felt like getting her to look at him was a lot like making cooing sounds at a stray cat to try and touch it. No matter what he did, he just kept frightening her away. "There's some things you'd let Silmeria do that you wouldn't let other people do, right?"

"I know," she said, not at all comforted. "I can never be like Silmeria..."

Rufus released a hefty groan. His shoulders slumped and he felt like banging his head into the table. "Okay," he said. Obviously any attempt to push words out of his mouth was only going to make things worse, so he opened it up for her. She looked with eyes wide and sparkling with mist but not quite tearing, confused by him as he sat there with his mouth gaping open. "Well, come on, I'm hungry."

"Oh!" she exclaimed, and fumbled for the spoon with a clatter, nearly dropping it. She dipped it gingerly into the soup again and held up a polite little spoonful.

"Hey, you've got to scoop out more than that," he griped at her. She pouted in annoyance that he had the nerve to complain. "Don't be so delicate, prin--" before he could call her by that royal nickname, she shoved the spoon forcefully into his mouth to silence him.

He closed his eyes as the taste of the stew made his senses come alive again, like pouring water on a parched desert flower. It was as if he'd forgotten what flavor was. He wanted to savor it, but his stomach roared and he swallowed greedily. It took some willpower to keep from dunking his head into the bowl and devouring it trough-style.

"You didn't chew," she scolded him lightly. "Your stomach is so weak, you've got to chew! Seventeen times per bite, I mean it!"

"It's really tender," he said in honest surprise as a broad grin spread over his face. "Hey, since when was your cooking any good?" He added a chuckle, remembering the offense to nature that her last culinary experiment had been.

Alicia stared back at him without smiling, his little joke failing to produce the desired effect. Her bottom lip began to tremble. He watched her, unable to fathom what could possibly be the matter. Then all at once she covered her face and began to weep.

"I-I didn't mean it, Alicia!" he apologized quickly. "It was just a joke!"

She removed her hands and looked at him. Though her eyes were full of shimmering tears, she was smiling brightly even still. "I know," she said, her voice still trembling. "It's just that I--" she tried to hold it in, but she was still sniffling. He wondered if he had the use of his hands, if he would have had the strength to touch her and comfort her. Instead, he felt her press her face against his shoulder to hide her tears. "I thought that I would never see you smile again," she said. "Even after I found you again, I thought that maybe... you were gone forever..."

"I'm still here," he said softly. "Seriously now..."

"Now," Alicia took a deep breath, sniffing in the last of her tears. She dipped the spoon and lifted up another bite. "Chew seventeen times!" she demanded.

"Hm," Rufus responded through the bite as he obeyed. He counted exactly just so that she would have nothing to hold against him if he got sick, and swallowed. "It's good," he said, then they both heard the sound of his stomach gurgling in protest.

"What is it?" Alicia asked in a hushed voice, as if whispering would keep his stomach from revolting any further.

Rufus groaned and curled over as a sharp pain moved through his bowels. "I have to use the bathroom," he grumbled, wondering if he shouldn't just release himself here and save them all the embarrassment. They were Lezard's pants, anyway.

"Oh... oh my goodness," Alicia stammered, and began to look around frantically. He had no idea what she was looking for. Perhaps a note written explicitly to her explaining what to do about a man who can't even carry himself to an out house or toilet.

"I can't even wipe my own ass in this shape," he groaned.

"Well," Alicia smiled and laced her fingers together hopefully. "I guess that's something I'll be happy to let Lenneth help you with. As long as you will let me feed you."

"Deal," Rufus replied, and lifted an arm. "If you wouldn't mind helping me up..."

It was unavoidable, and something that he would have to accept. In this world he was no longer Alicia's escort, but her charge. Once he let go of his pride, maybe he could learn to live this way gracefully. It wasn't as if his life looked like it was going to be a particularly long one.

Alicia managed to shoulder his weight more easily that he imagined. His legs weren't broken, but he found difficulty supporting himself on them. Even after Lenneth bathed him, he was sure he smelled rank. She, on the other hand, always smelled of nice things. They were not flowery and delicate smells because Alicia was no longer a princess who bathed in oils or fancied scented powders. She smelled of something salty and warm, like the first whiff of biscuits and bacon on a morning when all you have to do is stay in bed but you get up anyway because it smells so damn good.

- - -

After Rufus relieved himself (graciously with the help of Lenneth), Alicia found that the darkest of her feelings were now gone. "So Rufus hasn't lost himself," she sighed, taking the chair for a moment in his absence.

Silmeria would not answer.

"What are you thinking?" Alicia asked her, growing a bit worried by her silence.

_Nothing. It's not important._

- - -

Her high spirits were brutally crushed when Lenneth raised a point that she had not thought of. Perhaps she had intentionally forgotten about it, wishing that she could simply will Lezard and all that he had done away. But someone had to feed the prisoner, and that person ought not to be Lenneth.

Once again, she walked the path through the tower, riding its strange contraptions and fearing with every step that some sort of monster would leap out at her. It was dark again, and Lezard's magic lanterns had all burned out. Just as well; she found their eerie light disturbing. A torch in one hand lit her way, and she held a bowl of soup in the other.

_You don't need to hurry. I'd rather deliver it to him cold._

"I'm hurrying because it's scary down here," Alicia responded. "Why do I always have to do this?"

_Don't complain. You know that to grant him a glimpse of Lenneth would be like rewarding the despicable fool._

Alicia still whined to herself while she had the luxury to do so. "I wish I didn't always have to do it..."

- - -

In the dungeon there was a dank smell, and the air was chill as the cold winds seeped in from outside the tower. Lezard sat on a plate of metal sticking out from the wall which serves as a sort of cot. With all of his robes and cape he was likely as warm as any traveler might have been. Alicia wondered if this sort of environment suited to him; if someone like him never feared shadows or strange noises in the darkness of this haunted place.

"How considerate," he said, looking up from his seat. He stood and approached the bars. There was a small space large enough to stick the bowl through. Alicia held it up to that place in the grating, careful that he did not try to grab her.

He took the bowl with both hands, still chained together at the wrists. "It smells wonderful," he said with a tone of true appreciation. "Did you make this yourself, princess?"

"Hmf," Alicia groaned. "Eat quickly, I need the bowl back. There aren't that many of them."

Lezard sloshed the stew, examining it. "I hate to eat with such a lack of manners in front of a lady," he chuckled, and brought the edge of the bowl up to his lips. "Rather crass for a person of my stature, but I suppose I shouldn't complain. What, with the state of some of our hands, after all."

It was Alicia's hand that struck the bars hard enough to shake them, sending a loud clatter through the dark depths of the dungeon. However, it was Silmeria who took over and stopped her from making a fool of herself. "Keep talking if you wish to starve," she said.

Lezard sighed and took another few bites of the soup by sipping it into his mouth. "This is delicious," he said. "If you look inside a book in my study with the title of 'Ring of the Nibelung' you'll find a key to a storeroom you can reach through the kitchen, which I assume you've located. Also, if you pull the lever on the elevator away rather than towards you, it will run in a more logical order, allowing you to reach your destination more quickly."

"Is this some kind of a trick?" Silmeria asked him frankly.

"No," he explained, and took another sip. "I simply prefer my meals hot, that is all."

"Thank you for your kind advice," she snarked, then allowed Alicia her control again. The girl's posture slacked and she turned her head down at the floor.

Lezard continued to speak between bites, but never while he was chewing. Alicia raised her eyes to watch, to make certain that he wasn't playing some kind of game with her. "I know that a home-cooked meal is wonderful medicine for the wounded, but don't you have more important issues to deal with, Lady Silmeria? I do believe it's growing colder."

"And if you hadn't interfered," Alicia answered quietly.

Lezard looked up thoughtfully for a moment. "If I hadn't interfered, the present scenario would be as follows. Silmeria would have been encased in an unbreakable seal by Goddess Freya and whisked away to act as a supplementary pillar for this world by Brahms. Both you and your dear Sir Rufus would be dead by now, having had the gall to approach Odin's treasure on your own."

"But the world would have been saved, wouldn't it?"

Lezard shrugged. "Only until some agitated god decided to destroy it. I'm not interested in reckless destruction. My intentions were to save Midgard and leave it in peace with its Dragon Orb."

"The truth is that you don't really care what happens to this world so long as you have Lenneth," Alicia sighed. "How despicable."

"You know," Lezard went on, neither dismissing or confirming that judgment. "Earlier, I was thinking of how unfair it is for a goddess of Silmeria's ilk to be confined in such a plain body," he added a laugh to the insult without any attempt to mask what it was. "However... I'm beginning to see the appeal! You are the complete opposite of Lenneth, who is amazingly beautiful yet cold as ice. She's a weapon with a heart which she resists with all of her might. You, on the other hand... you are deceptively resourceful and strong. You are a flower transforming slowly into a sword. Not so much my type, but at least I have some understanding of it now. Sir Rufus and I must be similarly opposite in nature."

He stood slowly meeting Alicia's dagger-stares with a mildly amused expression. His hands raised the bowl politely up to the hole where it could be retrieved. Alicia cautiously took it from him. "I dare say," he said in a low tone. Alicia could smell the soup on his breath. "With your clothes removed, you might even be alluring."

Alicia frowned deeply. "I have more important things to do," she said and whipped away from the cell with bowl in hand. She began to walk away but her confident steps quickly dissolved into a frantic sprint to be away from him. She slammed the door at the entrance so loudly that Lenneth could most likely hear it at the top of the tower.

"Why do I have to _do_ this?" she whimpered, knees shaking.

_You kept your composure_, Silmeria commented in a tone of approval.

Regaining her wits, Alicia noticed that she had dropped the bowl at her feet. She took a deep breath and kicked it, hitting the heavy cookware with the tip of her boot. It went up into the air and came down again with a heavy clank that echoed through the hallway.


End file.
